We Laugh Just a Little Too Loud
by forrealrightnow
Summary: Two years can really change someone. After a chance meeting in NYC, Quinn and Santana learn this, but they're missing something. In order to figure out what everyone else is seeing, they'll need to get over their own pasts to get to each other. Future!Fic
1. Quinn's Favorite Place

**A/N: Okay, so this is totally different than my other stories. First of all, it's in third person. I should also explain that it alternates between perspectives. I don't want anyone getting confused and I also didn't want to have to tell you before I started each chapter. For some reason this story is making me really nervous and I'm just hoping that you guys like it. I've been working on it for a while and it's actually pretty much done already. Let me know how you feel! Oh and pay attention to the dates and locations, they'll be really important for some chapters.**

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><p>August 2014, New York City<br>Union Square, The Strand

For exactly a week Quinn had been living in the city her dreams didn't see coming until the end of her Junior year of high school. Despite her heartache at the time, she fell in love with the city where everyone goes to follow their dreams. She was starting at New York University in another week and she couldn't be more excited. Or nervous.

After three semesters at Northwestern, it finally hit her that Chicago was never the city she wanted be in. She applied to NYU in November of her sophomore year and in March she was accepted into the university for the Fall 2014 semester.

She didn't tell anyone she was coming. Only her parents knew what she was doing, but it was simply because they were fronting the bill. Her father was paying for most of her education. Sometime during her senior year of high school it hit him that he was losing his youngest daughter for real. Paying for school and both her Chicago and New York apartments was his way of trying to win her back.

He even funded her two month European excursion. The last place on Earth Quinn wanted to spend her summer vacation before moving to her dream city was her Hell, Lima, Ohio. She barely had to beg her father to fork over the money for her "thoroughly planned out trip." All she had to say was that she wasn't going alone and he was in. Anything to win his baby girl back.

Contrary to her father's hopes, Quinn never planned on coming back.

After a mere week of being in the Big Apple, she had already found her favorite place. She'd been there four times since she had moved into her apartment on the 15th. She found herself there for a fifth time on the 22nd. She loved everything about this place. For one it was full of books. Well, most bookstores are full of books, but this was different for her. She was _surrounded_ by her favorite things in the world. With every step she took into the store, her smile grew larger. Everywhere her eyes went she was met with a book. As she maneuvered through the other people and the tables she wondered how long it would take for the staff to notice that she kept returning.

Letting her hand drag across the store's own Best Sellers table, she dove further into the store towards the towering shelves that housed the fiction section. This is where she began to really fall in love with the place. The shelves are so high here you need a ladder to reach the top. Quinn felt tiny amongst the relentlessly high bookcases that lined and jutted out of the walls. She wasn't even looking for a book, she just wanted to be there.

Each time she'd been there she'd discovered something new that she loved. Today it was the way the floor creaked under her feet. It was a testament to how old the store was and how books have never really gone out of style.

The first time she found herself here, it was the smell. Despite it somewhat looking like a library, its scent is clearly different. It's a refreshing mix of old and new pages mingling on the shelves together. The second time she came to the store she walked in between the giant book cases and felt pleasantly lost. She compared it to getting lost in a book and felt that the connection was irresistible. Her third time at the store, she ventured up the stairs for the first time. She stopped at the art books and couldn't peel her hands or eyes away from them. There were so many and so much beauty, she didn't want to leave the section. Only hunger for actual food beckoned her out.

Her last visit, the fourth, was the visit that sealed the deal on her love affair with the store. She found the Classics section. She had been walking right by it her previous visits, but this time she walked right into it. They were all there, at least it seemed that way. There were so many. All she wanted was to devour them all, even though she was certain she had already done so to many of them.

Today she went back to her new favorite section, taking in every creek under her steps. Immediately she let her eyes meet with as many titles as she could. After five visits, today was the day she was going to make her first purchase at The Strand.

Slowly her eyes poured over the covers on the table in front of her. She stopped at one and allowed her hand to pick it up. _Orlando_. Virginia Woolf's love letter to the woman she was having an affair with. '_This is it,_' Quinn thought to herself.

"Holy shit! Quinn?"

Quinn could have sworn she was imagining that voice. It was one she hadn't heard since July after she had graduated from high school.

She looked up from the book in her hand and her imagining was confirmed as reality, "Santana?"


	2. Santana Actually Likes to Read

August 2014, New York City  
>Union Square, The Strand<p>

Santana found herself walking up the stairs of the Subway station into Union Square and then walking to The Strand once a week. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she actually really loved to read. She started getting caught up in the words of other people mere days before she began her freshman year at New York University. Today was a rare occasion where she found herself there for a second time in one week. When she was putting on her shorts this morning she found an extra twenty dollar bill in one of the pockets and decided to put it to good use.

Every time she went there she took the same path within the store: she walked in, circled their Best Seller table, walked straight past the gift ideas and the New York Times Bestseller tables, took a left, stared down every row of the seemingly endless fiction section and then ended in the Classics, her favorite. Today she decided to actually stop at the New York Times Bestseller table and chose a trendy book. Every once in a while she liked to indulge in what everyone else on the Subway was reading. So, with her $12.99 Bestseller in hand she knew she'd have enough for a Classic novel as well.

She finished her routine gander at every single tower of fiction novels, turned towards the Classics and stopped dead in her tracks. Her hair was different than the last time she'd seen her just over two years ago, but everything else about her was unmistakable, "Holy shit! Quinn?"

The girl from her past looked up from the book in her hands and any doubt that this was in fact Quinn was washed away as her hazel eyes met Santana's.

"Santana?"

"Oh my god! Quinn, what are you doing here?"

Quinn simply gave her signature eyebrow quirk and motioned with the book in her hand.

Taking a few steps forward so that she was closer to the table Santana rolled her eyes and rephrased her question, "I don't mean _here_, I mean in New York. What are you doing here in New York?" Santana was actually nervous. This was clearly the same girl she'd known for years but in just a few minutes of being around her she could tell that there was something different about her. She really wanted to find out what that was.

"I know," Quinn said dropping her book selection to her side, "I was just following my impulse to mess with you."

"Ha ha, very funny Fabray," Santana said but then found herself giggling at Quinn's snark. That wasn't different.

"I live here. Well, not here in The Strand, in Harlem, Morningside to be specific. By Columbia."

'_She lives here?' _Santana thought. "What happened to Northwestern?" she asked not realizing that both she and Quinn were moving around the table towards each other.

"Chicago was never really for me. I start at NYU in a week."

"Shut up!" Santana let fall out of her mouth, "I go to NYU! I'm starting my third year in a week..." Santana trailed off noticing the question that had started to appear on Quinn's face at "I go to NYU." She knew exactly what was coming.

"Your third year? You told everyone you were going to UCLA."

This is a sit down kind of conversation that Santana would love to have to with her old friend and truth be told she could always use a new one here in this big city she's called her home for the last two years, "You know, you look like you could use some coffee. Wanna get some with me?"

"Will it involve an explanation as to why you're here and not in Los Angeles?"

"Definitely."

"Then I'm all for it."


	3. What's Different?

**A/N: Okay, so after these three chapters, I'm going to post chapters every other day. I figured I should give a little bit of base. Like I mentioned before, this story is pretty much done, but I would still love to hear from you guys, maybe I'll make some adjustments to future chapters. Enjoy!**

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><p>August 2014, New York City<br>Somewhere in Union Square

Quinn followed Santana a block and half away from The Strand after they had both made their purchases from the store.

"Where are we going?" Quinn asked her old friend.

"A little place I found the first time I came to The Strand. They have great lattes. Way better than the Lima Bean could ever make," Santana joked at the expense of their small home town.

Quinn laughed knowing that the statement was probably true. When they walked into the café, Quinn became enamored by the environment. It reminded her of a darker version of the coffee shop in _Friends_ if she was going to be completely honest. There was an eclectic mixture of tables, chairs and couches and even though it was a blazing hot and bright summer day outside, in here it was dim and cool.

Aside from the fact that it was dark during the day time, this didn't really seem like a place that the Santana Quinn had remembered would frequent. Clearly two years on her own had done something to the fiery Latina. Quinn was suddenly very intrigued to find out what had changed about her high school friend.

"We just sit down wherever and then they come to us," Santana whispered after letting Quinn take the place in.

"Why are you whispering?" Quinn asked at the same volume as her friend had.

Back in her usual volume, "I don't know. You seemed like you were in awe of the place and I didn't want to disturb you too much."

Quinn found herself laughing at Santana. She'd always been funny but it was usually at everyone else's expense. These weren't mean-spirited, they were just silly. Something else different about her former frienemy.

The two friends found a corner with two matching comfy chairs and a round table in between them. A waiter in skinny jeans, a plaid shirt and a floppy beanie came by and dropped off two menus.

"I don't even need this," Santana chuckled, "I get the same thing every time."

"Does it involve a chocolate infused coffee drink and a chocolate chip muffin?" Quinn guessed remembering what Santana ordered every single time they ever went to the Lima Bean.

"Actually, it's an apple crumb cake muffin, so... back off blondie," Santana said in a poor attempt to reprise her HBIC tone.

"But I was right about the coffee drink?" Quinn quirked her eyebrows up in anticipation.

"A low-fat, iced mocha latte, with two Splenda..." the Latina said with a sigh and an eye roll.

'_Well, that hasn't changed'_ Quinn thought. "So, NYU, huh? What's your major?" Quinn asked avoiding the question she actually wanted to re-ask.

"Poli Sci. I know, weird, right," Santana said after Quinn quirked her eye brow up, "I took a couple classes during my freshman year and fell in love with it. A lot of it feels like history with a purpose. I mean of course some of it's tedious but even then it's still interesting."

"Wow," Quinn said unable to mask her surprise at the girl sitting across from her, "I don't remember ever seeing you this passionate about something education related."

"Once again, I know, weird right?" Santana laughed out, "What about you? Keeping the same major that you had at Northwestern... whatever that was?"

"Well, originally I was going into the journalism program, but... that's actually a long story. Umm... I'm going to switch it back to English. I know, totally useless-"

"I wasn't going to say that," Santana interrupted.

"Oh, sorry. I guess it's kind of a reflex at this point," Quinn admitted, "I want to be an editor someday."

"So in actuality, it isn't really useless at all," Santana said leaning in a little, enough so that Quinn could smell her mango body spray.

"No, it isn't," Quinn responded and attempted to mask the slight breathlessness Santana's scent had left her with.

"So, what can I get for you two?" the hipster waiter returned with pen and pad.

"She's having a low-fat, iced mocha latte with two Splenda and an apple crumb cake muffin and I'll have an chai tea and a slice of apple pie, please," Quinn ordered for both of them.

"No problem, I'll be right back with those."

When the waiter turned to walk away, Quinn turned to Santana to see her facial expression. Santana's arms were crossed and she was trying really hard to make her "oh no you didn't" face. She was failing. Quinn started laughing immediately and not long after Santana was also doubled over.

The waiter returned with their order in a matter of minutes and once Quinn knew that Santana was very involved with her crumb cake muffin, she decided it was a good time to finally talk about what they'd came her to talk about.

She also decided that bluntly asking was probably the best way to go about this, "So, why aren't you in LA?"

Nearly choking on her coffee, Santana looked up and caught Quinn's genuinely interested gaze. "Because of my parents," Santana answered fairly cryptically.

"I don't think I follow," Quinn responded with her signature quizzical eye quirk.

Santana took a deep breath and released, "I didn't want them to know where I was really going. I told everyone that I was going to UCLA so that they wouldn't know. It's not like they were paying for my education, so they'd never find out otherwise."

Quinn adopted a feeling of sadness for the girl she was talking to. She remembered all too well the night that Santana was kicked out of her house. The Latina had finally worked up the courage to tell her parents that she was a lesbian and they responded exactly the way she had expected. When Quinn and their other best friend Brittany came to get her, she had bruises and cuts all over her face, arms and hands. She had also broken her wrist trying to defend herself against her father's blows. Quinn was also there when they broke into Santana's parents house to get her things. Suddenly, this all made sense.

"The only people who knew that I was actually going to NYU were my Tía, her wife, Brittany, and her family. Now the only people who know are all of them, Rachel and Kurt. We found each other by accident." Quinn laughed now realizing how easy that actually is in this gigantic but clearly minuscule city. "And now you, of course," Santana added.

Another question popped into the blonde girl's head remembering that Santana had mentioned their other best friend Brittany. She knew that the two of them had always had a thing for each other, but Brittany wasn't here. Quinn decided to ease into this one, "How is Brittany, by the way?"

At least she thought she was easing into it.

"Um..." the Latina seemed like she was caught off guard and Quinn almost wanted to take the question back, "I don't know... I... umm... I haven't talked to her in almost two years. I don't even know where she is."

Even in the dim lighting, Quinn could tell that this had a much heavier affect on Santana than she had anticipated, "Oh my god, Santana, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... it's just that..." Quinn let her sentence trail off as she second guessed what she was going to say next.

"It's just that what?" Santana leaned in with suspicion.

"It's just that... Brittany's in LA. That's why I was really so surprised that you were here. I had just assumed that Brittany had followed you there after she finished at McKinley."

"Brittany's in LA?" Santana asked, looking as if she'd just been punched in the stomach.

"Yeah, she is," was all Quinn could manage.


	4. Validation

September 2012, New York City  
>A Bedroom in an Apartment in TriBeCa<p>

"Marry me?" a nervous voice desperately rasped out.

"What?" a second voice was heard, its disbelief unmistakable.

Looking up from her blonde lover's chest with more confidence this time, Santana allowed the words to pass through her lips once more, this time in the form of a command, "Marry me."

"I... I..." the second voice stammered.

"You don't have to go back to Lima, stay here and marry me, Brittany."

"San I-"

Not wanting to hear her say no, Santana continued to plead, "You don't have to finish, Britt! You can get a job here and you'e already a good enough dancer to get hired!"

"I can't!" Brittany was finally able to get out through her best friend's begging. Locking her blue eyes to Santana's deep brown, "I have to re-do my senior year, Santana. We've talked about this a million times."

They were lying in bed in a post-coital cuddle, something they found themselves doing everyday since they got to New York on August 1st. This was September 2nd however, and the school year in Lima begins September 4th. Brittany's flight was scheduled for 8AM that morning.

"I know," the Latina said as she sat up in an attempt to gain control of the situation, "But this time your plane is leaving in 8 hours."

"And it's leaving with me on it. I _have_ to re-do my senior year, San. I'll never get back here and get into Julliard if I don't," Brittany reminded Santana and in doing so, sat up, letting the blankets fall from her.

Santana still found herself in awe every time her eyes landed on her lover's naked form, this moment wasn't any different. She didn't want these moments to be gone. Any of them. She finally had the girl she'd been in love with forever and she wasn't going to let her go.

"You don't need Julliard. You're already a great dancer. You're beautiful," Santana tried more pleading.

"I want it, Santana!" Brittany raised her voice and uttered the words with such force that Santana's thoughts were halted, giving Brittany the opportunity to continue, "I _do_ need Julliard. I can be told that I'm a great dancer by everyone I know, but it isn't enough. I need validation and I need Julliard to do that, _then_ I'll be a great dancer."

"Validation? That's ridiculous!" Santana exclaimed incredulously.

"Oh my god! You really just don't get it!" the dancer scoffed and got out of the bed the two had been sharing for over a month, taking the comforter with her, "I can't believe how selfish you'e being! I want my own life, Santana!"

"You do have your own life-"

"Don't," the taller girl interrupted, "You know for a fact that if I stay here it's only because I caved," she took a deep breath in order to prepare herself for what her mouth was going to form next, "I can't give up my dreams for you."

Santana couldn't believe what she was hearing. Here was Brittany, standing in front of her, breaking her heart. Again.

Brittany continued, "We're eighteen, Santana. We have our whole lives ahead of us. I know it sounds cliché and all, but it's true. We can't get married. What did you think we'd do? Live in this apartment that your aunt is letting you live in until you graduate? And then what?"

Santana recoiled at the blonde's newest words. She hadn't thought about it. All she had thought was that it was legal in New York and she'd have Brittany forever. She loved her. Why was Brittany doing this? "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what, Santana? Getting my life together? You're here in New York. You're starting at NYU in a few days. What would I do if I stayed here? I don't have a high school diploma. I'd be doomed to waitressing or retail for the rest of my life while _you_ got to do what you came here to do. Why are _you_ doing _this_?" Brittany aimed her loaded question at her best friend.

The last thing Santana ever wanted to do was hurt the person she loved the most. When Brittany turned her own question on her, she realized that's exactly what she was doing. She wanted to answer her, but every thought stayed just that, a thought. All except one: "I love you."

Brittany took one step back and an accompanying breath then heavily let out the words, "Then you'll let me go."

That was the second to last thing Santana ever wanted. '_What's worse?' _the Latina thought to herself, _'Hurting her by having her stay or hurting myself by letting her go?'_ Her answer was so obvious it stabbed her in the gut. The only word she could manage to gulp out before her sobs took over her body was, "Okay."

It wasn't long before the blue in her eyes turned to red and her sobs turned into fury, however. Never in her life had she ever been this angry at her best friend. Not even when Brittany had chosen her wheelchair ridden boyfriend over her had she felt her rage rip through her every nerve the way it was now. Now Brittany was backing out of the room in order to avoid her and it threw Santana over the edge, "This was your plan all along wasn't it? Be here with me and make me fall for you even harder and then just fucking leave me here! This isn't even difficult for you! You have no problem leaving me here! You can't fucking wait!"

Coming back into the room fully and standing her ground Brittany retorted, "How can you even say that? After everything we've been through-"

"Exactly! After everything we've been through it is so easy for you to walk away from this-" Santana interrupted, raising the level of her voice.

"Are you kidding me? Every single time I start packing I can't stop crying. How dare you say that this is easy for me!" Brittany interrupted, matching Santana's level of volume.

"Bull shit!"

"You put me in this position, Santana! The least you can do is respect the decision I've made, which, by the way, has literally been the most difficult decision I have ever had to make!"

"Once again, Brittany, bull shit! You agreed to come here, therefore, you put yourself in this position. Don't stand there and tell me that this is my fault when it is just as much yours."

Bringing the volume of her voice down, yet lifting her intensity, Brittany responded, "You know what, Santana, you are absolutely right. This is both of our faults," changing to a vicious, matter-of-fact tone, "Clearly, we aren't ready for anything remotely close to a real, functioning relationship. Really the only thing that we're good at is fucking each other! God knows we can't talk about our problems. This is the first time we really have and we're screaming at each other!"

Nothing hurts worse than the truth and Santana knew it. Unfortunately for the Latina, she had a tendency to turn her pain into anger and lash out at those around her, saying things she knew she didn't mean, "Well then I guess it's perfect that you're leaving! Wouldn't want to waste anymore of each others time now would we?"

"You know you're really making me wish I never even came here with you. You're doing a really good job making me realize how right my decision is."

This probably hurt Santana the most, so much so that she couldn't even look at the Blonde anymore. Her anger was building to a level she didn't think she'd ever experienced before. Fists balled and thoughts raging she couldn't even stop the words that ripped over her tongue and flew out of her mouth next, "You're making me wish I never fell in love with you."

Brittany's piercing, ice blue eyes honed in on her now ex-lover and aimed two words that she'd never said to anyone, "Fuck you."

'_That's it,' _Santana thought, _'we're done. There is no possible way that we can survive this... and it's my fault.'_

Santana couldn't move. She couldn't speak. All she felt was herself melting into the bed underneath her and the excruciating sobs building in her throat. Holding them back was no longer possible as she watched the girl she'd loved for so long turn around and walk out of the room.

Within four hours Brittany had packed all of her things, showered away any remnants of their last time and removed the key to Santana's apartment from the rest of hers. She almost left with the last words between them being those two she'd uttered for the first and hopefully last time in her life, but she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did. As she entered Santana's bedroom for the last time, she watched her stir from her sob induced slumber. Lifting herself up onto her elbow, the Latina said flatly, "You haven't left yet."

It wasn't a question, but Brittany answered anyways, "No. I couldn't let that be last thing I said to you."

"Why not? I deserved it," Santana said, thoroughly believing herself.

"You did and I'm not sorry I said it, but I still couldn't leave here knowing that was the last thing you heard me say," the dancer took a step towards the bed and adopted a somber facial expression, "I do love you, Santana, I just don't think I can ever love you the way you want me to. It wouldn't be fair for either of us if I stuck around. _That_, I'm sorry about."

That was the confirmation Santana never wanted to hear. She might have actually preferred if Brittany had left with "fuck you" being the last thing she had said to her. At least then there would have been the hope that they'd see each other again... the worst thought imaginable reared it's terrifying head into hers, "I'm never going to see you again am I?"

"I don't know," was all Brittany could manage before she had to change the subject, "I have to go. I'm going to take a cab to JFK."

"I could go-"

Brittany interrupted her with a feverish head shake, "I need to be alone and I think you do, too," she took a deep, steadying breath, "Good bye, Santana."

The raven haired girl felt the sound that accompanies the words get stopped in her throat by the tears she was sure she had run out of. She couldn't say good bye. There was nothing good about this. This was definitely the worst thing that had ever happened to her and in eighteen years of life, she'd gone through some pretty shitty things, most of which happening in the last year. But this, this definitely topped the cake of the shittiest, most awful things to have happened in Santana Lopez's life.

Brittany waited for Santana to say it back until she finally realized it was never coming. "I'm leaving now," she said and turned around, walking out of Santana's bedroom for the last time.

When Santana heard the apartment door open and then close again she whispered, "Good bye, mí amor," then let her sobs take over once more until she really had nothing left and all she could do was sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: You paid attention to the date and place, right? Of course you did, you're a smart cookie. That's patronizing isn't it? Sorry. I'm done. Let me know what you think!**


	5. That's Different

August 2014, New York City  
>An Eclectic Union Square Café<p>

"Brittany's in LA?" Santana gulped out. It felt like all of the air in the café was being sucked out of it and she was the only person it affected.

"Yeah she is," Quinn responded with a nervous look.

Desperate for more information Santana gathered herself as best she could and asked, "How did you find out?"

"Um... well, between my trip to Europe and moving here I had to go back to Lima for a little and I ran into Brittany's mom at the mall. She told me that Britt was there," Quinn said with the same nervous tone, "I didn't know you were here, so I just assumed..." the blonde trailed off.

'_Pull yourself together Lopez! You've been over her for a year and half!' _"Quinn it's okay," Santana said trying to sound as sincere as she could. Quinn gave her an expression that said she didn't believe her friend. "No really, Quinn, it's okay," the Latina said allowing a smile to cross her face, "Honestly, I've had two years to get over it. You just caught me off guard, that's all."

Both girls stayed quiet for a few seconds until Quinn asked, "So, what happened?" Her expression was both sad and interested, which didn't go unnoticed by Santana.

Santana took a deep breath and released the facts that she had come to terms with over the last two years, "We never really knew how to talk to each other." Quinn quirked an eyebrow in suspicion. Noticing this, Santana responded, "I mean as a couple. Clearly, we always knew how to talk to each other as best friends, but when it came to being _together_, things were just different."

Quinn chuckled a little and said, "You two always seemed to have that problem."

With the same laugh as Quinn, Santana replied, "If only I'd seen it in high school."

With all of her surprise Quinn released, "Wow, two years...?"

"Yeah," Santana said and then thought, _'Just tell her about it. It's pretty obvious she genuinely wants to know.'_ "We spent the whole month before I started at NYU together in my apartment. We fought the day she left. I asked..." Santana stopped herself before she could reveal that she had actually asked Brittany to marry her, "I wanted her to stay but she wanted to go home to finish school. Then we both said some pretty stupid things... okay I said most of the stupid things and then she left... for good. It took me my whole first semester and then some to get over her. I poured everything into my school work and wound up pulling out a 4.0."

"But you're okay now?" Quinn asked with concerned eyes.

"Oh yeah. It's actually kind of a funny story how I started to really get over it," Santana said taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh, well now that you've talked it up you have to tell it," Quinn said with a smirk and a touch to Santana's knee.

'_Is she... flirting? No...'_ Santana thought and then rubbed one of her eyes, "Umm... well, I was in the Apple Store one day and I ran into Kurt and Rachel. I really thought I was never going to see them in such a huge city, but clearly," she said indicating to Quinn, "It's not as gigantic as we think. They invited me to go out with them one night. I know, me hanging out with Rachel is like some alternate universe shit, but she's actually kind of cool now. She dresses normal and she's really toned down her sentences. I guess Juilliard's been kind of humbling."

"I might have to see this for myself," Quinn said with a hint of shock.

"Well, if you keep hanging out with me that just might happen," the Latina offered up realizing that she had actually missed the girl she used to call Preggers. Funny how you don't realize how much you miss someone until they're once again staring you in the face.

"I think I can deal with that," Quinn said with the same smirk as before only this time adding an eye brow jerk.

'_Uuuuuhhh, _is_ she flirting with me? Maybe I'll give it back...'_ With a slight hair flip, Santana placed her elbow on the arm of the chair and leaned her chin on her hand. She continued her story with a tiny giggle, "Anyways, they invited me out with them and they both _insisted_ that I dance with this girl that had been staring at me all night. I was pretty adamant about not doing it but then Kurt was like 'What happened to Santana Lopez doesn't say no?' Gay boys always know how to get under people's skin. Then Rachel dragged me over to her. Long story short, I danced with her and we both woke up in my bed the next morning."

"Phewf! I was starting to worry that you'd changed even more than I thought," Quinn somehow managed to say in a way that didn't offend Santana.

Nevertheless, the Latina felt like she needed some kind of retort, "Not even cool, Fabray, I will have you know that I have only had sex with three girls since her and no guys. And only that first one was a one night stand, the rest have actually been relationships... okay one was a friends with benefits thing but that ended as soon as it began because we thought it was weird..." Santana trailed off realizing that what was coming out of her at this point was word vomit. In an attempt to save herself, "The other two were actual relationships," leaning in she rounded up her rant with, "And none of them were tall dancers with blonde hair and blue eyes. I saw the suspicion in your eyes, Q."

Rolling her eyes in a Santana fashion Quinn replied, "I was suspicious, you're right," bringing back her smirk she asked, "And how about now, sleeping with anyone?"

'_Okay, maybe Q is just a lot more confident than she used to be and I'm just misinterpreting things...'_ Santana pursed her lips in faux agitation and responded, "Nope, just my body pillow. I've been busy with work all summer."

"Maybe that will change once school starts," Quinn offered up while she tucked a piece of her chin length blonde hair behind her ear.

'_Okay, what is going on? This is really starting to weird me out a little.'_

"So, where do you work that you're so busy all the time?" Quinn asked, filling the silence that was created between the two.

"Oh, at the bar that I live over. My Tía owns it. She owns the whole building actually. I work there for rent and get to keep my tips. I don't really have a life but I make a shit ton of money on the weekends," Santana mentioned with a smile, thinking about how much money she saved this summer so that she could have a social life this fall.

"That's cool and I see that you're spending all of your money at The Strand. I have to admit that is probably the last place I would ever have expected to find you," Quinn admitted.

"Hey, it's the perfect place to pick up cute, nerdy chicks. I succeeded today," Santana said forgetting her previous suspicions and letting one of her sarcastic jokes fly.

"Here's your check, ladies, whenever your ready," the waiter with way too many clothes on for the ninety-eight degree day said to them as he placed the tray with their bill on the table.

"Thanks," Quinn replied with the same smirk she had been giving Santana the entire time.

'_Hmm... well that sucks... wait what?'_ "Umm... let me get this. We have to pay up there," Santana offered while pointing up towards the door.

"Okay," Quinn accepted while getting up from the chair.

They walked up to the register together without saying anything to each other and after Santana had paid the $14.50 and dropped three dollars in the tip cup, Quinn began, "We should get lunch sometime this week. I mean, we'll be in the same area."

Santana contemplated it for a few seconds and then responded, "Yeah sure, that would be great actually."

"And maybe you could show me around a little? I really hate getting lost," Quinn smirked.

"Okay, give me a call sometime, my number's the same. If you still have it of course."

"I do," Quinn said in a tone that Santana was sure was she'd only heard girls use when they wanted her. Surely she was hearing things.

Santana took out her phone and upon looking at the time, realized that the two had been in the café for two hours and she needed to get back to her apartment to get ready for work, "Hey, um... I actually really have to get out of here. I didn't know we'd been here so long. I have work in like an hour and half."

"Oh yeah, that's cool. I have to do some shopping for my apartment, anyways. I'm really glad you saw me, Santana and I really am sorry to hear about you and Brittany," Quinn said extending her hand and stroking Santana's arm a little.

That slight touch sent a shiver down Santana's spine. _'Holy shit'._ "Umm... yeah me too, Q and it's still okay."

Quinn extended her arms and motioned for a hug. The two girls embraced and Santana couldn't help but notice the faint scent of pomegranate in Quinn's hair. "Talk to you soon," the blonde girl whispered into Santana's ear and then turned away back towards the Union Square station.

'_I might have just found out what's different about Quinn Fabray.'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so I felt a little bad leaving off with that last chapter. I know, it was depressing. Also, not that there was any confusion or anything, but I'd like to clear up that I'm actually a huge Brittana shipper. At the same time though, that is probably the first and last time I'll ever write them in some sort of sexual relationship. I don't like being disappointed in what happens in the show. I find that if I don't imagine too far, I can't be disappointed and that I actually like where they're going with the story. I'm probably the only Brittana shipper that feels that way but whatever! **

**Alright, now that I've already broken my own promise to myself to post these every other day, I'm going to go back to that. The next chapter will be up two days from now... the 24th... of August... so Friday... the 26th.**


	6. The Pub

July 2014, London  
>A Flat in Westminster<p>

"Are you sure you have to leave?" a brunette with piercing green eyes, a sultry voice and a British dialect said to the girl who had been her lover for the past three weeks.

Quinn simply nodded. Words would have been far too difficult for her to even attempt. She could feel tears coming, but she didn't want them to escape. Three weeks with this woman and she was falling for her. She was falling for her harder than she'd ever fallen for anyone... well, almost anyone. But she had to leave the next day. Her plane was flying out of Heathrow in the morning and she had to be on it. You can't commute to New York University from London.

She had to leave.

The brunette lifted Quinn's chin and placed a kiss on her lips. Pulling her even closer to her she asked with tears in her voice, "This is going to be good bye isn't it?"

Quinn nodded again, but this time she couldn't keep her tears under control and they began streaming down her cheeks onto her lover's chest. She closed her eyes and let her lips find her lover's again and tried not to imagine what it would be like if she didn't have to leave.

Then she thought it wouldn't hurt so bad to leave if she had never walked into that pub three weeks ago.

But this is life. You can't take things back. You can only move forward. Life's experiences build character and Quinn couldn't help but think she was definitely leaving London with _a lot_ of character.

...

Three Weeks Prior  
>A View of the River Thames<p>

'_This is my favorite city in the entire world,'_ Quinn thought to herself as she looked out towards the Tower Bridge. It was lit for the night and its reflection could be clearly seen in the Thames. Everything about this place left Quinn in such awe that she vowed to herself that she would return to live there someday. She turned away from the beautiful sight in front of her and spotted a pub. She'd always wanted to drink a pint in a pub. She didn't even like beer that much, it was just something she felt like she had to do. Before she knew it her legs were taking her across the street to the establishment in front of her.

Ever since she stepped foot in Europe she'd had this lingering suspicion that everyone could tell that she was American. She tried her best not to look as such, because she knew the moment she opened her mouth to speak, everyone would know. As confidently as she could, she weaved through the tables filled with gawking men and planted herself in a stool at the bar.

"What'll it be?" Quinn heard the sexiest voice in the sexiest dialect to have ever graced her eardrums.

"Huh?" was all she could muster when she was met with the bright green eyes of the most beautiful brunette she had ever laid her eyes on.

"What are you having?" the bartender reiterated through a sweet smile that made Quinn melt into her bar stool.

Quinn snapped her eyes shut and brought them back open, 'W_hat is happening to me?'_ she questioned herself. "Umm... a pint."

"A pint of what?"

'_Shit!'_ "I don't know, actually," Quinn admitted.

"Aaah, an American. We don't get very many Yanks in here. And you, you had me fooled until you opened your mouth. Your teeth are far too nice to be British," the brunette said with a wink.

'_Oh god, is she flirting with me?' _Quinn hoped she was. She could feel the blush building in her cheeks and she hoped the pub was dim enough to hide it.

"How about I get you _my_ favorite and you tell me what you think?"

Trying her best not to sound like bumbling idiot, "That sounds good."

'_Pull yourself together Fabray! It's a girl!'_ Exactly, this was just one of the most gorgeous girls she'd ever seen. Quinn had always had this struggle. Though it rarely happened, she did sometimes find herself intensely attracted to certain members of the female population. It happened twice in high school, twice at Northwestern and now. She has even gone so far as to explore these attractions. Well, one in high school and both at Northwestern... and hopefully this one. In high school she chalked it up to being young and curious, bi-curious if you will, but her two experiences at Northwestern confirmed her bisexual tendencies; she went back for more from both of them.

And now, this woman that was getting her a pint of... whatever, had turned her into a puddle just speaking to her.

"So," the breathtaking bartender began as she set down the pint in front of Quinn, "Are you here by yourself?"

Pulling the glass closer to her and without looking up from it, "Yeah, I followed an impulse."

"I like that," Quinn looked up from the glass and quirked her eyebrow at the woman in front of her, "The impulse part. Well, I guess I like the fact that your here by yourself also, except that I don't reckon it's completely safe for a beautiful American girl to be wandering around London by herself after midnight."

'_Oh my god, she is flirting with me.'_ Suddenly Quinn had no idea how flirt back.

"I didn't start out by myself," Quinn decided to say, "I lost my friend that I came to Europe with in Amsterdam about a week ago. Something about smoking all the weed she could before her flight back to the States?"

The brunette threw her head back and let out the most perfect laugh. At this point Quinn was positive that any sound this woman made would be perfect. "I think that happens far too often," she said through the remainder of her laugh. She let out a sigh and then asked, "How long have you been here?"

"In Europe or in London?" Quinn asked and then finally took a sip from the beer that had been sitting in front of her.

"Both. How is it?" she asked indicating the beer in Quinn's hands with a nod.

Quinn smiled and nodded in replace of saying how she felt about the beer, "Let's see... well, our plane landed in Rome on May 29th and today is what? July 5th? So in Europe for a month and about two weeks and I arrived in London yesterday. I haven't really been keeping track of how many days I've been here, I just remember days by things I've done."

"You know, I really enjoy the way your brain works," the green-eyed woman leaned over the bar and said.

Quinn couldn't stop the giggle that erupted from her throat. '_That sounded ridiculous... but it was perfect.'_ "You've only been talking to me for twenty minutes, how could you possibly know how my brain works? You don't even know my name."

"Well, why don't you enlighten me?" the bartender said leaning even further over the bar and locking Quinn into her jade eyes.

"Quinn," she uttered without thought. It was as if the brunette had plucked it from her throat and pulled it out from behind Quinn's lips.

"A beautiful name to match a beautiful girl." As cheesy as the line was, Quinn soaked it up. Extending her hand to Quinn, the bartender said, "I'm Manny. It's short for Samantha. Too many Sams on one football team and it just stuck after that."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Manny." '_Wonderful? That's the best word you had? You're a lit major!'_ Quinn wasn't pleased with her choice of words.

Manny furrowed her brow slightly and asked, "Feel free to inform me if I'm being too forward, but what are you doing tomorrow?" At the start of the question her mouth formed the slightest smirk that gave Quinn an interesting feeling in an even more interesting place.

She gulped as slightly as she could manage, "I've sort of been playing things by ear. I don't have any plans."

Seemingly pleased with Quinn's answer, Manny's smirk turned into a smile and she asked, "How would you like to get the insider tour of London? There's really no one better at it than the girl you're speaking to."

'_More time with her? Yes! Yes! Say yes! But don't seem too excited... be cool about it.'_ Quinn tried preparing herself for her response, "Yes!"

'_So much for cool.'_

"Fantastic," Manny said breathily, "Meet you at the Eye at 11?"

"Okay," Quinn agreed but then remembered how gigantic the London Eye was and how much space was around it, "Wait, where specifically? That thing is huge."

Chuckling a little, the brunette said, "How about the shop?"

"Perfect."

"Okay, Quinn, I have to actually get back to work. I've been talking to your for thirty minutes and not doing my job. There's just something about beautiful American girls that makes me give them all of my attention," Manny admitted.

"I thought you said you don't get a lot of Americans in here," Quinn attempted to flirt a little more.

"We don't," Quinn felt the air escape her lungs when Manny said that. In an effort to divert attention away from how foolish her facial expression must have been Quinn went for her wallet. Seeing her do so, Manny said, "That pint that you didn't drink, it's on me. Have a wonderful night, Quinn."

"You too," Quinn said breathlessly.

Before getting up to walk to the dorm she was staying at for the night, she chugged down half of the pint that was now a little warm. When she brought the glass back down to the bar she met Manny's gaze from across the way. She was smirking and when their eyes met, Manny raised her eyebrows in a sultry manner that gave Quinn that interesting feeling again.

'_What am I getting myself into?'_

Quinn didn't even care.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so I hope that you're noticing the pattern! It's going to continue this way for quite some time. Let me know what you think! Also, I apologize in advance if the next chapter isn't up on Sunday. There's kind of sort of this hurricane thing headed straight for New England and we're supposed to get smacked on Sunday. Or maybe we'll just get 100 mph winds, they aren't really sure yet. No matter what it seems like some doom is headed straight for the lovely state of Massachusetts. I know I shouldn't joke about it, but it's really the best way for me to handle my slight phobia of natural disasters. Anywhoodles, have a good weekend.**


	7. Of All People

September 2014, New York City  
>Somewhere in the Thick of NYU<p>

"Hey, S, where are you?" Quinn asked into her cell phone while she looked around her.

"Umm... on the corner of University and Waverly."

Quinn looked up at the street signs around her and said back, "That's where I am! But where are you?"

"Come over to the park, I'm like staring at Silver Center."

"Oh, I'm diagonally across from you, I'll be there in a minute," Quinn said noticing that the red Don't Walk hand had turned to a bright white walking dude across Waverly.

"Stay on the phone, just in case," Quinn heard her friend say in her ear.

"Ha ha, very funny, Lopez," Quinn said as she began crossing University Place.

As soon as she stepped onto the side walk she spotted her raven haired friend leaning on a slab of concrete. She was wearing a black dress with tiny floral designs and combat boots that went up her calf. _'Glad to see that some things don't change,'_ Quinn thought as she approached her friend. She also couldn't help but think about how hot Santana looked when you factored in everything from her outfit to the way she was leaning and watching Quinn make her way towards her.

"Hey, I just call things the way I see 'em Fabray. You called me three times trying to find this place. I just wanted to spare us both another phone call," Santana said as Quinn got closer to her. "You look cute today," Santana added with an innocent looking smile.

Quinn had decided keep her first day of classes outfit simple and had thrown on skinny jeans, a loose fitting button down and flats. "Thanks," Quinn responded, feeling a blush building in her cheeks. This was not the confidence that she wanted to exude and she suddenly felt completely betrayed by her body. In an effort to make up for it she said to the Latina, "You look pretty hot yourself. Glad to see that your closet has remained fairly gay."

With a laugh, Santana responded, "Trust me, it's far worse now. This is light gay. Wait until the winter comes along, that's when it's really bad." She punctuated her sentence with a nod indicating that they should start walking.

"I'm not sure I can hang out with you if you're wearing flannel," Quinn jested as they began to venture into the park.

"I promise it's fashionable. Let's be serious, I hang out with Kurt on a regular basis. Do you really think that Mr. Fashion Institute would allow me to walk around looking like a lesbian fashion disaster?" Santana joked and then added, "Wait 'til you see what he's done to Rachel."

"I told you: I need to see this for myself to believe it," Quinn answered with a hand gesture. When her hand dropped to her side it accidentally swiped Santana's, giving her a brief sensation of fluttering in her stomach, "Umm... so, where are we going?"

"I don't know, I just felt like taking a stroll in the park," Santana said as she watched her feet take their steps. Looking back up at Quinn she asked, "Hungry?"

Just as the word 'hungry' passed through her ear drums Quinn felt her stomach churn with hunger and remembered that she spent too much time on her hair to have breakfast, "Yes. And for some reason I'm really in the mood for crappy college food."

"Actually, it really isn't bad here, so you might be disappointed," Santana let another one of her sarcastic jokes fly.

"Whatever, it's on me. My father insisted I get a meal plan," Quinn sighed.

"Ahh, Papa Fabray trying to get back in with his youngest daughter. Still not budging?" Santana nudged at her friend, "This way."

"No. He kicked me out of the house because I made one stupid mistake," Quinn said as they made their way back out of the park and onto West 4th Street, "As if he hasn't made mistakes. You know, I'm pretty sure alcoholism is a sin. Fucking hypocrite."

"Whoa! I think that's the first time I've ever heard you curse," Santana said with wide, surprised eyes.

Quinn let a smirk cross her face, recalling a time when she knew for a fact she had used a form of the same word in front of the Latina. It was even Santana's fault that the word had come out of her mouth. "No it isn't," Quinn said through the smirk.

Quinn knew she saw her friend blush at this and Santana let her eyes land on her feet. "So, it's definite that you're never letting him back in?" Santana released through a slightly nervous tone.

Of all people, Quinn figured Santana would understand, "Would you let your parents back in after what they've done to you?"

Bringing her gaze back up to meet Quinn's hazel eyes, Santana said, "No. I'm done with them."

Quinn shrugged her shoulders in response as if to say, 'Exactly.'

"Let's go to Weinstein, it's only half a block away," Santana said pointing in the direction the eatery was located.

"Sounds good," Quinn said as she began to take in everything around her.

She was finally here! New York City. New York University. She already loved her classes and her professors and she already had someone to spend her free time with. She would admit that she and Santana had their moments in high school, but they were both different now. Clearly, they'd both matured in their time on their own but there was something else that was drawing Quinn to Santana. Quinn couldn't exactly put her finger on it, although she couldn't quite ignore the tiny signals her body was sending her.

"This is it," Santana said as they got to their destination, "This is the part where we split up, get what we want and meet back up at the register."

Quinn laughed her way out of her thoughts and said, "I know how this part works. See you in a few?"

"Yup."

The two girls met back up within ten minutes and were sitting down within another five. Quinn had gotten a simple turkey club. You can really never go wrong with a sandwich in which one of the main ingredients is bacon. Quinn took her first bite and said, "You're right, I'm totally disappointed."

Santana came really close to spitting out the water she had just sipped, "Oh my god, Q, you're face was like priceless. Seriously it's just a sandwich, no need to get all O face about it."

'_That would be reference number two,'_ Quinn thought, but since she didn't make it this time, it caught her a little off guard and she had nothing to retort. All she could manage was, "You know how much I love bacon."

"Ah, how could I forget? No matter what state your hormones are in, you can never turn down those fatty strips of pig. Sorry, I couldn't resist a preggers joke," Santana said in a way that actually didn't offend Quinn. _'Wow.'_

"What would a Quinn/Santana conversation be without one?" Quinn joked along.

"I'm sure they'd be fine. There wasn't one the last time we spoke," Santana responded.

"Touché, Lopez, touché."

"Friday night? What are you doing?" Santana asked after they had both gotten through about half of their lunches.

Quinn contemplated for a moment even though she knew instantly that she didn't have any plans and finally said, "Absolutely nothing."

"Perfect because Kurt, Rachel and I are going out to celebrate the new semester and so are you," the Latina said quirking up both of her eyebrows and pointing to the blonde sitting across from her.

Recalling her days in Chicago, Quinn thought about her many times attempting to get into 21 plus clubs and failing miserably, "Ummm... none of us are old enough to do anything remotely fun-"

"Ah, my dear Quinnocent, you don't know who you're speaking to," Santana said through a sly smirk and then continued, "Just meet us at 11th and 4th at 10:30 on Friday and I promise you won't regret it."

"Umm... 11th Street and 4th Ave?" Quinn questioned a little ashamed that she had to ask.

"Uh huh."

"Ooookaaay..." Quinn responded with clear hesitance.

"Trust me on this one, Q," Santana said in reassurance, "I have to go. I have class in like fifteen and it's like five blocks away. See you Friday?"

"Yeah, see you Friday," Quinn said a little disappointed that her friend had to leave.

Before she did leave, Santana took a few steps towards Quinn and leaned down give her a hug. Then the Latina whispered, "I'm really glad that you're coming," and with that she released Quinn, turned around and walked out the door.

'_Ummmm...'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry that this took so long! As you might have guessed, I lost power on Sunday. Fortunately, the storm didn't hit so bad where I live so things are pretty good here. My thoughts are with those who did not fair so well, however. Okay, as per usual, I'd love to hear what you thought about this one! Oh and I'm still going to post the next chapter tomorrow. I have a schedule to keep up, right?**


	8. Closer

March 2013, New York City  
>The Living Room of a TriBeCa Apartment<p>

"Fucking piece of fucking shit!"

To say that Santana was angry at this moment would perhaps be one of the most understated sentiments of the decade.

"Ay dios fucking mio!"

Her fourth lap top in half as many years, just shit the bed while she was typing out her mid-term paper for her Civil Liberties course.

"Hola, Sobrina!" an excited voice answered over the phone.

"Hola, Tía," Santana huffed to her aunt.

"Ay, what's the matter? You sound like you've been running."

"I've been screaming at my broken computer! It crashed in the middle of a paper!"

"Santana, you know yelling at inanimate objects is going to get you nowhere," Santana's aunt snarked.

"I'm really not in the mood for your sarcasm right now, Tía."

"Can't you use one of the computers in the lab on campus?"

"Yeah, for my school work, but that's it," Santana whined to her aunt.

"Oh come on Rosa, just give the girl the money for a new one. And make her get a Mac this time," Santana heard her aunt's wife's voice in the distance of her receiver.

"Am I on speaker?"

"Not for long!" her Tía growled.

"Thanks, Vicky!" Santana called out to her other aunt.

"Anytime, girlie!" she responded a little closer this time.

"Twelve hundred bucks?" Santana assumed that her aunt was doing some research, "Argh, fine! I'll put the money in your account tomorrow. You're going to have to stick to the computer lab for today though."

'_Oh no I won't! I made that much in tips over the last two weeks! I'm buying this thing today.'_ "Okay," Santana feigned disappointment, "I guess I can handle one day at the computer lab."

"You know, you're lucky you're my god daughter."

"I'm also your favorite gay niece," Santana said, feeling her spirits being lifted.

"You're my only gay niece-"

"Hey, you don't know that. I might just be the only one that's had enough balls to come out."

"You're right and I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Tía."

"I'm proud of you, too!"

"Thanks, Vicky!"

"Okay, Sobrina... stop it... we have to go," her aunt said with a giggle.

Santana heard the smacking of lips and was instantly grossed out, "Ew, can't you guys wait like two seconds to get your mack on! Gross! I'm hanging up now!"

"Adios!"

'_At least they aren't suffering from Lesbian Bed Death. That gives me hope...'_ Santana's thoughts instantly turned to her ex-best friend/girlfriend. She really needed to stop doing that. It had been six months for crying out loud. Besides, it was time to buy herself a shiny new computer that wouldn't crash whenever times got tough.

...

The Apple Store

Usually, Santana tried to avoid places that were often littered with tourists. This was one of those places. Really the only reason why there were always so many tourists here was because the store existed under a gigantic glass structure and tourists think that _everything_ in New York is worth seeing. Luckily, today there wasn't a line to get into the place. She probably wouldn't have waited in it.

While she waited for the Apple people to transfer all of her stuff from her piece of junk, that she had managed to turn back on before she left, to her brand new MacBook, she decided to look through the software. She was hoping to find a better mixing program than GarageBand. As she was looking, she took a step back and crashed right into somebody. Whipping herself around she began, "I'm sor- Berry?"

The little brunette from Santana's past stood in front of her speechless. Actually, to Santana, she looked a little frightened. Laughter erupted from Santana's throat and she said, "Chill out! I'm not going to beat you up or anything!"

"Oh my god! Santana!" a familiar voice screeched to Santana's right.

"Kurt! Hi."

"Jeez, Rach, you look like you just saw a ghost," Kurt said when he got to the two girls.

"Well, she's supposed to be in Los Angeles! She made sure everyone knew it by the time we graduated," Rachel said releasing all of her shock.

"That's kind of a long story..." Santana said as her name appeared on the screen above the service desk.

"Come to dinner with us tonight and tell us," Kurt demanded enthusiastically.

Rachel gave him a look of clear unhappiness but still said, "Yeah, we should catch up."

"Umm... okay..." Santana agreed, thinking about how surreal this moment was, "Umm... I actually have to go right now, why don't you text me. My number's the same."

"The one you changed it to during Senior year?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, that one."

...

A Gigantic Dance Club in Greenwich Village  
>Three Days Later<p>

"That girl over there, has been staring at you for the last half an hour," Kurt drunkenly leaned into Santana and pointed across the bar.

Slamming his arm down, Santana shouted, "That's nice, I'm not interested."

"Oh please, Santana, you've been staring at her, too," Rachel piped in from Kurt's other side.

"You're both crazy! And drunk! I have no idea why I agreed to come here with you!" Santana yelled at her old Glee Club-mates and finished her fourth Jack and Diet. Somehow Rachel had conned the bouncer into letting them in without putting Xs on their hands.

Kurt answered Santana's non-question, "Because if my memory serves me correctly, you have been moping around for the last six months-"

"And you haven't had sex in six months, which I'm pretty sure is like a record for you," Rachel added. Six months in the Big Apple had _really_ changed her. Tonight she was wearing a really low cut dress, leggings and stilettos. She was also a hell of a lot less high strung. Santana assumed that she'd given up her "virgin 'til marriage" motto and gotten herself laid.

"I'm starting to regret telling you guys that!"

"What the hell happened to 'Santana Lopez doesn't say no?' I'm starting to actually miss her a little," Kurt said punctuating his sentence with a dainty belch.

"Come on, Santana, even we know this girl is hot! Just dance with her! We're not saying you have to take her home and fuck her all night!"

'_Did that just come out of Rachel Berry's mouth?'_ "You know what, Rachel, I think we could actually be friends," Santana said. It was one part truth and one part diversion.

"That's great, now go dance with the hot chick that obviously wants to get up on you," Rachel yelled, pulling Santana off of her seat.

"What are you doing?" Santana yelled with a little bit of fear.

"I'm dragging you over there!" Rachel shouted back.

"Uh uh," Santana said, but found herself face to face with the girl she, as Rachel had pointed out, had been staring at. She had actually spotted her before she even realized the girl was staring back. The instant their eyes met, Santana lost any confidence she might have had and only stole glances when she could tell the other girl wasn't looking.

"Hi!" Rachel said to the girl, "This is my friend Santana. She thinks you're cute and really wants to dance with you."

"Hi, Santana," the girl said leaning in a little.

"Hi," the Latina let out in a breathless tone.

"I'm Amanda," the girl said extending her hand to Santana.

"Nice to meet you," Santana said as she felt a blush rushing into her cheeks.

"Oh my god! You two have been staring at each other forever! Dance already!" Rachel huffed out, "Ugh! Lesbians!"

Before she could protest, Santana found herself being pulled onto the dance floor by a girl she had literally just met. Amanda had shoulder length blonde hair and was only about an inch taller than Santana. She looked a little hipster, but it was clear that she was really only going for the look. No one who was really hipster would be caught dead in this place.

Amanda wasted no time getting closer to Santana and Santana was just drunk enough not to care too much. Actually, she found herself more and more into it as mash-up after mash-up blared through the speakers. When she felt a pair of hands squeeze her ass, she let a moan escape from her vocal chords and she was still just drunk enough not to care. When she found her face buried in the blonde's neck, she was just drunk enough to lick her lips and place them on it. When she heard the blonde's response, she was just drunk enough to say, "Let's get out of here."

When she woke up the next morning, there was a girl with blonde hair and green eyes in her bed and two text messages on her phone.

From Kurt:  
><strong>Dinner tonight. Mine and Rachel's place. Details.<strong>

From Berry:  
><strong>I better get a thank you tonight.<strong>

And so began a friendship none of them saw coming.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Told you this would be up today! I keep my promises. Hope you liked this one! Tell me about it!**

**A/N 2: I really want to thank everyone for the Alerts and Favorites and the reviews so far. It's really exciting to know that people are enjoying this story. I was a pretty nervous about it for some reason... actually I still am. It probably won't go away until I've posted the whole story (which is a ways away btw). Well, have a wonderful day.**

**A/N 3: Here's a nice cryptic message: If a question pops up in your head about what happening, be patient, the answer is probably going to come up. Actually that wasn't very cryptic, was it? Also, a couple people were wondering about Rachel... what do you think so far?**

**A/N 4: I did something super stupid and updated with the wrong chapter. I really hope I didn't screw anything up and it was fixed before I ruined my own story.**


	9. You'll See

September 2014, New York City  
>Right Smack in the Middle of Greenwich Village<p>

"Ask her where she is again," Kurt calmly requested of Santana.

"Hey Q, remind me where you are again?" Santana asked through her phone.

"Ummm... 10th and Broadway?" the girl on the other line responded.

"She's at 10th and Broadway," Santana sighed out, "Q, you're super close. Tell me what's around you?"

"Umm... well I'm standing in front of a Chase bank and diagonally across from me there's a really gorgeous cathedral-"

"Is there a Wachovia across the street from you?"

"Yeah," Quinn said excitedly.

"Okay, cross the street and keep walking to the next block, then tell me when you get to the intersection," Santana requested as soon as she realized the direction Quinn needed to walk.

"What is she wearing?" Kurt asked with his hands clasped in front of his chest.

"Kurt, you're going to see her in like ten minutes," Rachel said crossing her arms and scoffing at her roommate's impatience.

"Okay, now what?" Santana heard Quinn ask.

"Okay, turn left. Kurt wants to know what you finally decided to wear," Santana mentioned reluctantly.

"Ummm... two layers of tank tops, skinny jeans and Chucks. I decided to take your advice and not his," Quinn said through a snicker.

Laughing, Santana said to Kurt, "She said you'll see."

"No she didn't! You're full of shit Santana," Kurt said throwing his fists onto his hips.

"Hey look! There she is," Rachel called out to her friends, "I love her hair!"

"'Bout time Q! We've only been waiting for twenty minutes," Santana called out to the blonde making her way across the street.

"You didn't listen to me at all!" Kurt whined when Quinn stepped onto the sidewalk.

"It's good to see you, too, Kurt!" Quinn snarked and then threw her arms around her fabulous friend from high school. At the conclusion of the hug, Quinn added, "I never would have survived the night in four-inch heels. Besides we're celebrating, not getting picked up."

"Speak for yourself," Rachel piped in from behind Quinn.

"Holy shit! Rachel, you look hot!" Quinn said to her former classmate who was wearing a little black dress that the word 'little' barely described and those four-inch pumps that Quinn had opted out of.

"Nice to see you, too, Quinn," the diva said marching forward to give Quinn a hug.

"Told you, Q!" Santana said walking up behind Rachel to give Quinn a hug next. She'd been observing her three friends since Quinn stepped onto the sidewalk.

"So, where are we going?" Quinn asked as she hugged Santana.

Once again, Santana smelled pomegranate in Quinn's hair but this time there was a powder scent apparent. She found the strange combination intoxicating and had to pull herself out of the embrace a little sooner than she really wanted to. "A club halfway down the block. I told my friend Sonny we'd be there by 11:00 so we should probably hurry up," the Latina said as she started down 11th Ave.

Catching up to her, Rachel threaded her arm through Santana's and whispered, "You totally have a thing for Quinn."

"What?" Santana reacted completely caught off guard. Turning her head to make sure that Quinn and Kurt were far enough away to be out of earshot she said, "No I don't."

"You so do! You smelled that pomegranate shampoo and her baby powder deodorant and thought it was the sexiest thing you've ever experienced. And don't think I didn't see how you were looking at her when she was crossing the street," Rachel said confidently to the best friend that she never thought she'd have.

"You didn't see anything Rach. Just drop it," Santana said feeling herself getting flustered and frustrated. She knew Rachel was right, but she really didn't want to admit that she was crushing hard on a girl that she knew for fact was straight. Well, maybe Q was a little bi-curious, but at this point in her life, that wasn't enough for Santana.

"Is this is it?" Quinn asked pointing at the marquee across the street.

"Yup, sure is," Santana said as she began to cross the street. When she got there she went straight to the gigantic, African American bouncer at the top of the line and said, "Hey, Louie! Sonny should have put me down for plus three."

"Hey, a new girl!" Louie said far too loudly. "She's cute," he added with a nudge.

"She's our friend from high school. She just moved up here. We're friends," Santana said, giving the bouncer her death glare.

"Mhm," Louie said through pursed lips. "Have fun tonight ladies... and Kurt," he said with a wave to the girls' sassy gay friend.

"Thanks, Louie," Kurt said through a blush.

"He has it so bad for you," Rachel said after they'd stepped through the doors.

"He is huge and scary and I am little and fragile. I like myself in one piece thank you very much," Kurt said with a huff, "Downstairs?"

"Where else would we go?" Santana snarked.

"What?" Quinn yelled over the growing bass.

"You'll see. It's going to get crowded so just stay close," Santana yelled to her friend. She felt something grab her hand and when she looked down, she saw that it was Quinn's. Instantly she felt the flutter in her stomach, unfortunately this time she couldn't pull away. She had just told Quinn to keep close. Luckily, when they got downstairs to the ballroom they were going to, Quinn let go of her hand on her own accord. _'Oh thank god.'_

"This. Is. Amazing." Quinn said as she turned around looking at everything around her.

"Want a drink?" Rachel said leaning into Quinn.

"Umm... we're 20... that kind of puts a damper on the drinking scenario," Quinn responded with a frown.

"Look at those kids' hands," Kurt said pointing to two boys grinding up on each other with huge black X's on their hands. "We're good!" Kurt yelled flashing his hands to Quinn.

"So, I'll ask again: Want a drink?"

"Of course I do!" Quinn screamed as they passed a subwoofer.

"You guys go ahead to the bar, I'm gonna go say 'hi' to Sonny," Santana yelled to her three friends who were already on their way to the bar.

"Okay!" both Rachel and Kurt yelled out, while Quinn adopted a look of confusion.

Santana danced her way through the thickening crowd, finding that the best way to maneuver through the grinding couples and groups of dancing single ladies. By the time she made it to the DJ booth she had had her foot stomped on and her ass grabbed. Unfortunately, it was impossible to find out who had committed either of the offenses, so she couldn't do anything about it. After the crowd she only had one more obstacle to pass through to get to Sonny: The Bouncer. Really all she had to do was flash her most charming smile and make sure he could see her face and she'd be in there just fine.

"Santana!" she heard the bouncer yell to her.

She squinted her eyes a little to see if she could recognize him and when she did she called out, "Berto! How you doin' bro?" When she got to him she extended her hand and they began an elaborate handshake that ended in an "explosion."

"You spinnin' tonight?" Santana's fellow NYU, Political Science major asked.

"I don't know, I didn't bring anything. Sonny might have some of my stuff from the last time though," Santana answered her classmate.

"You're gonna lay 'em down, don't even play. These people fuckin' love some DJ Slo-Pez. Even if her name's a little fucked up," Berto joked.

"Shut up! You know that was an accident!" Santana yelled and smacked her friends beefy bicep.

"An accident that stuck."

"Watch it B, I know where you live. We don't want a repeat of Fall '13 do we?" Santana said snuffing her nose.

"Hell no! My girlfriend and I are still finding silly string in our apartment!"

"That's what I thought," Santana said in her best Lima Heights Adjacent tone, "Now if you don't mind, I have a DJ booth to storm."

"Don't let me stop you," Berto said and moved over on the stairs for Santana to pass. As she got to the door that led to the open air booth, Berto called out, "Get it, girl!"

Santana looked back at her friend and rolled her eyes. She pushed through the door and smiled as soon she saw her friend Sonny at the table. Instead of letting him know that she was there, she stood back and watched him work. Most of what she knew, she learned from him. Actually, pretty much everything she knew about DJing she learned from him. Everything but how to put together a mash-up, that she already knew how to do. Who'd have thought high school glee club would have actually been useful? Sonny found her stuff and contacted her about a year and a few months ago and she's been guest DJing for him ever since.

"Oh! Thank god you're here! I need like, twelve cigarettes already!" he exhaled when he caught sight of her.

"Bad day?" Santana asked as she grabbed a set of headphones.

"You have no idea! Whattaya say? You good for like 45? I've got your stuff from last time and the new tracks you sent me... mad fresh by the way. You're a fuckin' genius!" Santana's mentor asked and complimented.

"Well, now that you've stroked my ego to an all-time high, how could I say no?" Santana responded and began walking over to one of Sonny's MacBooks.

"You're the fucking best! Okay, the old stuff is in this one and the new stuff is in this one," he said pointing to the corresponding lap tops.

"Okay, bro, whenever you're ready," she said as she placed the headphones on her ears.

"That would be now," he said and stopped the mash-up that was blaring through the speakers with a record screech. The protests from the dancing crowd were instant, but Sonny was quick to react, "Alright, alright, alright, everybody! I'ma let you get back to grindin' up on your honies in a minute, but I gotta introduce my replacement for the next few tracks. I know y'all love her shit so without further ado, my girl: DJ SLO-PEZ!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't really have an author's note, I don't know why I even started making one. I guess I just want to know what you guys thought. You know, like I ask every time because I'm an attention whore. At least I admit it.**


	10. The Office

October 2013, Chicago  
>English 234: Intro to Shakespeare<p>

"Everyone loves _A Midsummer Night's Dream_. There's seriously something wrong with you if you can't find joy in a story about love and idiots," Professor Smith... Allison said to her class full of English and Theatre majors that had probably all read the play their freshman year of high school.

Quinn had been excited about this class for an entire year. She was a sucker for Shakespeare and she did love _Midsummer_. It wasn't her favorite but she did love it. She loved that Professor Smi-Allison was having them read it. Quinn couldn't wait to hear her lecture it. Actually, Quinn couldn't wait to hear her say anything.

She didn't know what it was, but there was something about Allison that Quinn couldn't resist. Maybe it was the fact that she was only twenty-five and she was already a professor at Northwestern. Or maybe it was her tongue ring. It was probably both.

One thing is for sure, it was a good thing that Quinn already knew the play, because she was far too wrapped up in her thoughts... about Allison... her professor... her super intelligent, super hot, professor.

'_Maybe she's a little gay... like me... just enough to have sex with girls but not enough for a relationship. Although, if she wanted one I'm not sure I'd be able to say no. Oh god, I would totally be in a lesbian relationship with this woman if she wanted me. I'm way more than a little gay-'_

"Miss Fabray, could I see you for a minute?"

'_Oh no, she knows I wasn't paying attention.'_ Quinn hadn't even realize class had ended.

"Yes Professor Smith?" Quinn said meekly as she walked up to the desk at the front of the classroom.

"No matter how many times I ask you guys to call me Allison you still call me Professor Smith. It sounds old. I had this professor in undergrad who was Professor Smith. She was this older butch lesbian that didn't take crap from people and wore men's three piece suits. I associate that name with her. I'd like to think I'm just a lesbian that doesn't take crap from people. Allison is better for that image," Quinn's professor revealed.

'_Why would she say that to me? Oh shit she's done talking. I should say something... what though?'_ Quinn decided it would be safer to respond to the first part of her professor's statement and remembered what Allison had addressed her as, "Well, you can't expect your students to call you by your first name if you don't call them by theirs." Quinn thought her response was perfectly witty.

Allison smiled, leaned in over the desk a little and said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

'_Oh god, her hair smells like coconuts. Don't look down her shirt. Don't look down her shirt!'_ "I guess it's one of those things that's just so simple, you don't see it."

"Even with two bachelors degrees, a masters and a pending doctorate the simplest things can slip right by," Allison responded, "Anyways, I called you up here because I would really like to talk to you about something."

'_More time with her? Anything she wants to talk about. Shit! What part of don't look down her shirt didn't I understand?' _When Quinn brought her eyes back up from their millisecond long trip to her professor's cleavage, they were met with a smirk. _'She caught me.'_ Quinn was mortified but she had to try her best not to let it show because that would be like confessing her sins, admitting her eyes had in fact followed her body's need to know what was hidden under her professor's clothing.

"What do you want to talk about?" Quinn was finally able pull out of her vocal chords.

"I think it's a sit down conversation. Do you have a class after this one?" she asked looking at her watch.

Gulping down the nerves that had been building since this conversation began, Quinn answered, "I'm done for the day."

Allison smiled again, causing Quinn's stomach to flutter a little this time, and asked, "Walk with me to my office? It's in this building."

Quinn nodded, saying, "Okay," and followed Allison out the door and into the hallway.

Not wanting the walk to happen in silence and out of not knowing how long this walk was going to be, Quinn asked the first question that popped into her head, "So, what was so bad about _your_ Professor Smith that you don't want your students to call you that?"

Allison scrunched up her face, thinking about the question and Quinn's thoughts honed in on how adorable she thought it looked.

'_This is crazy,' _she thought in response to her previous thoughts.

"Hmm... I guess it's kind of weird. I don't know. She wasn't a bad professor or anything, it's just that whenever I hear 'Professor Smith' I think of her," Allison said not answering Quinn's question at all.

They began climbing a set of stairs and Quinn formulated a new question, "Okay, so why do you think of her and not yourself?"

"That's a much better question than your first one. I guess it's because I never thought I'd be a professor, so I'm just not used to it. It's my first semester, cut me some slack," Allison said with a laugh and light backhand to Quinn's left bicep.

Quinn felt it in slow motion. It was like her fingers slowly dragged their way against Quinn's sleeved arm. Her skin and everything that's hidden underneath it, was engulfed in flames. Speaking wasn't really in the cards at the moment for Quinn and the two walked the rest of the way to Allison's office in silence. Luckily, it was only a few feet away from the stairwell.

"Sit down," Allison said as she closed the door behind them.

She shared her office with another professor, so Quinn was unsure which desk was the right one to sit at, "Which desk is yours?"

"The one with nothing on it, or in it for that matter. I haven't had time to stock it up," Allison answered and walked over to the naked desk. She sat down in the oversized swivel chair behind it and Quinn sat down opposite her in a chair with wooden arms and purple cushioning.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Quinn asked as she delicately removed her messenger bag's strap from her shoulder, but kept the bag on her lap for support.

"Why are you an English major?" Allison asked bluntly.

"Umm... what?" a completely caught off guard Quinn responded.

"Why did you declare English as your major?" Quinn's professor barely changed her question.

"Ummm... I like to read. I like to write a little, too, but I'm much better at reading," Quinn answered the question as best she could on such short notice.

"Well, I'd say that you're excellent at both. Quinn, your paper on _Titus Andronicus_ was beautiful. Yours was the only paper in the entire class with a voice. I'm going to guess that you've never considered changing your major?" Allison asked after she took Quinn's breath away with her compliment. All Quinn could do was shake her head for 'no.' Allison continued, "So you've never thought about majoring in journalism?" Quinn shook her head again and Allison continued again, "I think you should consider it. You have a perfect voice for it. It's passionate and intelligent and you're ability to analyze is impeccable. Don't tell anyone I said this to you, because it really wouldn't look good for me, but I think you're at the wrong school."

Quinn couldn't believe her ears. Her professor at Northwestern was telling her that she should transfer.

Quinn's professor continued once more, "I think that you could get into NYU's journalism program. I want to help you, but only if it's something you want to do."

She also found this interesting because she'd never really wanted to go to Northwestern in the first place. Quinn wanted to be in New York City.

"So what do you think? I know it's a big decision and I'm pretty much throwing all this new information at you, but I really think that you should consider this. You'd be fantastic," Allison said with her eyes, that Quinn had just noticed were auburn colored, weighing down on her.

Quinn's brain was completely scattered. She knew that she didn't want to change her major, but she also knew that she'd love to go NYU. Contributing to the mess in her mind, were the dirty thoughts about her professor that kept creeping their way into her head. Unable to center her thoughts on what she _should_ be thinking about in this moment, Quinn could only respond, "I think that I should think about this. When would I need to apply to transfer?"

"Next month," Allison answered quickly.

"Okay."

"Great! Come to me when you make your decision and we'll set a plan in motion!" Quinn's Shakespeare professor responded excitedly and got up out of her seat. Quinn followed suit assuming that meant that the meeting was over. Allison began walking towards the door and Quinn followed her. As she was walking, Quinn became overly occupied with getting her messenger bag back on and wound up smashing right into Allison's back. While Quinn was completely overcome with embarrassment, Allison simply laughed and told Quinn repeatedly that it was fine. After a few moments that Quinn found unbearably awkward, she directed her attention back to her messenger bag for protection, from what she wasn't sure, but she knew she needed it. Allison finally grabbed the doorknob and said to Quinn, "I'll see you Monday in class?"

When Quinn looked up to answer she was met with those auburn eyes again and then her eyes drifted down to Allison's lips. Her pink, soft, perfectly kissable lips. She was not thinking with her head when she let herself move forward to find out just how kissable those lips were and god, were they just as perfect as she thought they'd be.

Quinn's brain finally kicked in and she yanked herself back. "OH MY GOD! I'm sorry! I can't... I... oh my god... I should go!" she frantically said and started power walking back towards the door... and Allison.

Head down and eyes on the floor, Quinn didn't see Allison put her arm out to stop her from leaving. She was stopped dead in her tracks and before she could say anything her lips met with her professor's once again. Quinn heard the lock on the door click and felt the ball of Allison's tongue ring drag across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and let a moan escape when her tongue was met with Allison's.

Without breaking the kiss, Allison began walking them both back to her desk and when they got there she lowered her head and began kissing Quinn's neck. Quinn let another moan escape from her throat and then breathlessly she whispered to her professor, "We shouldn't do this," even though she wanted it more than anything.

Allison grabbed the strap on Quinn's messenger bag and lifted it off of her. After tossing it into her desk chair she said, "I know," and continued to kiss Quinn's neck.

'_This could be so bad,'_ Quinn thought as she was lying down on Allison's empty desk. But as her professor went down on her, all she could think about was how good it felt.

Luckily for Quinn, it never got bad. She and Allison kept meeting like this. Quinn got an A that she actually deserved in her Shakespeare class and into NYU. They were only sleeping together, but the second Quinn sensed she was developing actual feelings for her professor, she broke it off. She was moving to New York in the fall, she didn't want a reason to come back to Chicago.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello everyone, the attention whore is back! Let me know what you thought! Personally I'm a big fan of this one. I hope you all enjoyed it! Hope you have a wonderful day!**


	11. Is That For Me?

September 2014, New York City  
>A Gigantic Dance Club that will Remain Nameless<p>

"Who's Sonny?" Quinn asked when she, Rachel and Kurt got to the bar.

"Just Santana's DJ Jedi Master," Rachel answered.

"Santana's a DJ?" Quinn questioned with clear shock.

"Yeah! She's really great! She makes these unbelievable mash-ups of these songs that you would never put together!" Kurt yelled over the mash-up that was currently blaring through the speakers.

"So she took one of Mr. Schuester's lessons and used it to her benefit?" Quinn shouted.

"Yeah, we were both shocked," Rachel added pointing her thumb between herself and Kurt. "What are you drinking?" Rachel said as she waved to a guy across the bar.

"Captain and Diet," Quinn answered catching Kurt's eyes and participating in a collective eye roll. _'Crazy how two years in a big city can change a person.'_ Quinn was actually starting to think she might really enjoy hanging out with the new Big City Rachel.

Rachel grabbed the attention of one of the bar tenders and called out, "Two Stoli Razz and Sprites, a Captain and Diet, and a Jack and Diet."

"Sonny?" the bar tender yelled. Rachel nodded and he proceeded to make the drinks.

"Who's the Jack for?" Quinn questioned and just as the last word left her mouth the music dropped out with the sound of a record scratch.

Quinn quirked her eyebrow as the crowd began to groan and turned her attention to the DJ just as he began speaking, "Alright, alright, alright, everybody! I'ma let you get back to grindin' up on your honies in a minute, but I gotta introduce my replacement for the next few tracks. I know y'all love her shit, so without further ado, my girl: DJ SLO-PEZ!"

"Wait! What?" Quinn asked turning back to look at Kurt and yelling over the cheers that had erupted from the dance floor. He merely responded by gesturing back towards the DJ booth. Turning back, Quinn spotted Santana taking the other DJ's place. She watched as Santana grabbed the mike and spoke, "I got some new shit for you tonight, so I better see _all_ yo' asses on the floor." _'Bringing out the Lima Heights Adjacent I see,' _ Quinn thought as one of Santana's own mash-ups began.

"Oooo a new one!" Kurt clapped.

"Is this Jay-Z... and Aerosmith... and Adele?" Rachel hollered as she handed out the drinks, leaving the Jack and Diet on the bar.

"Yeah. Listen to the dance beat she layered in!" Kurt called out.

Quinn was really only faintly aware of the conversation that was happening behind her; she was really far too entranced by what was happening in the DJ booth. The second she was introduced, Santana transformed into "DJ Slo-Pez" (a name that will later be questioned). Her concentration was absolutely magnetic and Quinn could not peel her eyes away. Clearly, Santana had found her element and Quinn could no longer deny how attracted she found herself to her... again.

"Hey, Q!" she heard a voice right next to her call out.

"Huh?" Quinn said as she tore her eyes away from DJ Slo-Pez.

"You okay?" Kurt asked into her ear.

"Yeah! Why?" Quinn asked worried that she'd been caught.

"Because you are shamelessly staring at Santana with your lip between your teeth and bedroom eyes," Kurt said into her ear again and returned into sight with a 'you've been caught' look.

Just because she couldn't deny it to herself, didn't mean she couldn't deny it to everyone else, "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Mhm, why don't you bring this up to her?" Kurt suggested handing her the Jack and Diet that was probably getting watered down at this point.

"Where's Rachel?" she said taking the drink. Kurt pointed to a couple about ten feet away making out up against a wall, "Oh my god! She literally just met him!"

"No, they've slept together a few times. She keeps saying that he's dumber than a rock but she keeps sleeping with him because he's hot and the sex is great." Quinn let her jaw drop at what she'd just heard but Kurt went unfazed and continued, "Anyways, it's a clear shot to the booth if you walk along the wall. Just tell the bouncer that you're Santana's friend and he'll let you right in the booth. Use her real name, _not_ her DJ name!" Kurt mini-monolgued at a yell into Quinn's ear.

"Ummm... okay!" Quinn responded a little unsure of what Kurt said in the last part. She was getting tired of yelling and really wanted to get to that booth.

"Don't worry about me," Kurt said as he waved to a cute guy that was dancing a few feet away from them, "I'll be fine!"

Quinn nodded and started on her journey to the booth. Kurt was right about sticking to the wall, well at least as close to the wall as she could get. There was a clear path made between the couples making out along the wall and the people dancing. She got to the bouncer at the bottom of the stairs and was hit with nerves. _'I have no idea what Kurt told me to do. Did he say use her real name or her DJ name? It must be her DJ name. Yeah.'_ Looking up at the man who must have been about 6'5" and weighed about 250 pounds of pure muscle, Quinn worked up the courage to yell, "Can I see DJ Slo-Pez? I have this for her."

The bouncer gave Quinn a look of doubt and said, "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't just let every hot girl who comes up to me asking to see DJ Slo-Pez up."

Instantly frustrated, Quinn yelled, "But I actually know her!" She realized that Kurt must have told her to use her real name, so she decided to drop it, "Her real name is Santana. We went to high school together and now we both go to NYU!"

"Are you Quinn?" the bouncer shouted.

"Yeah..." Quinn said, a little freaked out, "How did you...?"

"S and I are mad tight! We've had like, ten classes together! She told me all about you! Go on up!" he yelled as he moved out of her way.

Without question Quinn headed up the stairs to the door. _'She's been talking about me?'_ Quinn thought as she pushed the door open. As she stepped beyond the threshold of the booth, Santana was tearing the button down shirt that she had arrived in off revealing her white tank top and the black bra she was wearing underneath. The blonde felt the air leave her body as she watched this happen in front of her. As she was shedding the second sleeve, Santana turned around, meeting Quinn's lusty stare.

"Is that for me?" the Latina questioned as she approached Quinn.

Shaking herself out of her daze and worried that Santana was questioning the 'I want you' facial expression that Quinn was positive she was sporting, all she could muster was, "Ummm...?"

"The drink," Santana said pointing to the plastic cup in Quinn's hand.

"Oh, yeah." Quinn said with relief and extended the drink, "Here you go."

"Thanks," Santana said taking the cup. She took a sip from the stirring straw and let her eyes linger on Quinn for what Quinn thought to be way longer than a _normal_ friend would let her eyes linger. Putting the drink down, Santana asked, "Wanna help me start the next track?"

"Ummm...?"

"It's easy! Besides, I'll be right here," Santana said with an encouraging smile.

"Okay," Quinn said following Santana to the table with two lap tops and a ton of other equipment that she hadn't the slightest clue as to what it was used for.

"Okay, so all you're going to do is slide these controls down and these controls up at the exact same speed and time. I'll do the rest. Easy enough?" Santana yelled.

Quinn nodded and looked back down to the controls in front of her. She placed her fingers on the sliders that she thought she remembered Santana pointing to, then she felt a rush of warm air behind her and arms around her. With her hands on Quinn's wrists, Santana lifted all four of their hands and while placing them on the correct controls, said directly into Quinn's ear, "These ones. Left are up and right are down."

Santana's touch left goosebumps in its wake and her voice in Quinn's ear sent a shiver down her spine. Quinn found herself in another daze and woke up just in time to hear Santana yell, "Now!" She did exactly as she was told and one intriguing mash-up faded into another. "Perfect!" Santana yelled over to her from one of the MacBooks.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to let your fan girls up here?" Quinn heard a not-so-angry voice yelling from behind her. She turned around and was met with the DJ that had introduced Santana.

"Sonny, this is Quinn! We go way back! To high school!" Santana shouted to her mentor.

"Another Lima Lady? It's a pleasure Quinn!" Sonny said as he extended a hand to Quinn.

Taking his hand, Quinn said, "It's nice to meet you!"

"Feeling better?" Santana asked Sonny.

"Oh yeah! Half a pack of cigarettes and three shots of José later, I'm perfect! I can take it from here," Sonny answered.

"Great. Maybe I'll be able to sneak out this time," Santana sighed. "Let's gather up Kurt and Rach and whoever their macking on and go to my bar," she suggested into Quinn's ear. Quinn simply nodded in response and felt Santana take her hand and begin to lead her out of the booth. "See you in two weeks?" she called out to Sonny.

"You better be here!" Sonny yelled and pointed at "Slo-Pez."

Santana simply laughed and led Quinn out the door and down the stairs. "See you in class on Monday, B?" she called out to the bouncer that had freaked Quinn out.

"Of course! Nice to meet you Quinn!" the man Santana called "B" yelled out.

The girls turned the corner around the base of the DJ booth and spotted Kurt dancing with the guy he had waved to earlier. When they got to him Santana said something into his ear, then Kurt turned and said something into the guy's ear and before Quinn knew it, all four of them were seeking out Rachel. Turns out Rachel hadn't moved very far from where she was when Quinn last saw her. She and her "friend" had moved to a bar stool, clearly finding that standing was too much extra to concentrate on. Quinn could _feel_ the eye roll that Santana was giving them and the Latina did not hesitate to approach the couple to tell them that they were clearing out. Without argue, the make-out pals were off the stool and following everyone else out of the club.

The six of them walked together to the nearest subway station and boarded the first train that would take them lower into the Village to the bar that Santana's aunt owned. The bar that Quinn would find herself highly inebriated at by two in the morning.

'_Hey, when an old, gay bar tender keeps handing you on-the-house drinks, it's pretty hard to turn them down.'_

Truer words have never been thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I promise this ending isn't as abrupt as it seems. You'll see in a few days. Well, there I go giving stuff away. How rude. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this! Happy Labor Day! Unless of course you aren't in the US and today isn't Labor Day, then Happy Monday? Okay, enough of me being an idiot, as per usual I'd love to hear from you!**


	12. Legit

April 2013, New York City  
>Rubin Hall<p>

For the last four hours, Santana had been studying with her classmate Berto in his dorm room. She hadn't known him for very long but they were in two classes together this semester and they were both planning on declaring Politics as their major come Fall semester. For the most part she thought he was pretty cool guy. Actually, he kind of reminded her of her ex-boyfriend Noah "Puck" Puckerman, only he was a lot less of perv and didn't have a stupid hair cut. He also didn't suggest a threesome when she told him she was a lesbian.

At the moment she was taking a break from studying and checking her e-mail.

"Holy shit!"

"What? What? I wasn't sleeping!" Berto yelled as he jumped out his nap.

"You know how I let you listen to those songs I mixed?" Santana asked.

"Those bitchin' mash-ups you made? Uh, yeah."

"Well, a legit DJ just sent me an e-mail telling me he wants to meet me and listen to my other stuff," Santana said with both shock and excitement.

"Lemme see!" Berto said grabbing for Santana's lap top. "Holy shit, bro, this guy _is_ legit! My girlfriend and I go to his club all the time!"

"Yeah, so do my friends and I."

"What are you going to say back?" Berto asked handing Santana her lap top.

"Nothing," Santana replied, thinking that this was not something that she had time for.

"What? Why not? This guy has nothing but great things to say about your stuff," Berto said with as more conviction than Santana had ever seen him use.

"I don't have time-"

"Bull shit, Santana. The summer is coming up and you're only taking one course. You're scared and I'm calling you out on your shit. E-mail this guy back or... I'll..." Berto shot his hand forward grabbing Santana's five-subject notebook with _all_ of her notes from the semester in it and pulled a lighter out of his pocket, "I'll torch this whole thing and I won't let you use my notes that aren't even as good as yours."

"You're full of shit," Santana said calling his bluff.

"Oh really?" Berto asked and flicked on the lighter.

"Uh huh," Santana responded without letting her nerves become apparent.

"So, I wouldn't do this?" Berto said and brought the flame to the bottom corner of the notebook and started melting the plastic cover.

Thinking that he had actually set it on fire, Santana screamed, "OH MY GOD! I'LL EMAIL HIM BACK! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!"

Berto laughed as he took the lighter away from the notebook, revealing that it hadn't caught.

"You're an asshole!" Santana admonished, punching Berto's larger than life bicep as hard as she could. She instantly pulled her hand back and shook it, yelling, "Ow! Christ! Your arms are fucking concrete! Shit!"

"Shouldn't have punched me. That's what you get for not being able to control your anger. Now stop being what you eat and write the damn e-mail," Berto demanded.

"Stop being what I ea- oh, not even cool B. A lesbian joke? That wasn't even good. You're gonna have to get much wittier if you're gonna hang out with me," Santana said avoiding the e-mail.

"Write the fucking e-mail Santana!"

"Okay!" She directed her eyes down at her screen and hit the 'reply' button. For about thirty seconds she let her fingers hover over the keys, her mind completely blank. "Ummm... I don't know what to say."

Berto let his head fall back as he sighed. Bringing his head back down he said, "Start with 'Hi Sonny.'" Santana rolled her eyes. Next, Berto asked, "What was the first thing you thought when you were done reading the email?"

"Holy shit?"

"That's what you said."

"It's what I thought, too."

"Okay, well translate that into an appropriate sentence," Berto suggested.

"Like, I can't believe he found my stuff and liked it?" Santana said, doubtful that could even be remotely useful.

"Perfect. It sounds humble. What do you think of him? Since you've heard his stuff before."

"Ummm... his shit is awesome," Santana replied with clear adoration for the DJ that had contacted her.

"Tell him that and then tell him that you would love to meet him. I suggest telling him that finals will be over by the end of the week and then you're free to meet whenever. That way you're available at nearly anytime," Berto offered.

"But I'm not. I have a job," Santana said with her 'duh' face.

"At a bar where your shifts are almost always at night. Don't even, Santana," Berto retorted.

Maybe the two knew each other a little better than Santana had originally thought. Santana simply sighed and began writing the email. It took her a half an hour and three different reads to Berto to get it right. It took another fifteen minutes for her to press 'send.'

"Okay," Berto started, "Now that you're going to be famous DJ I can tell you about the hot red head in my Sociology class."

"A famous DJ? That couldn't be further from the tru-"

"That wasn't the important part of the sentence. The important part is the hot red head that I'm setting you up with," stated Berto, crossing his bulky arms. They were so huge they barely completed the task.

"I'm not so sure I-"

"Stop it! You're hot Santana and you're a good person. You should be using those things to your advantage."

Once upon a time, Santana could have slept with any guy in her high school that she wanted, but now that she was out and she only wanted to sleep with girls, she couldn't muster up any courage to even speak to them. Maybe having Berto help isn't such a bad idea. Besides, she hadn't had sex since the one night stand with that blonde from the club.

"Fine."

...

A Dimly Lit Café in Union Square  
>One Week Later<p>

Sonny asked Santana to pick the place where they were going to meet for the first time. She picked the cafe that she found when she was aimlessly wandering around Union Square during Month Two of her Self-Pity Party. After that she found herself there at least once a week after buying a book at The Strand. Today's trip to the cafe wasn't much different than every other time she'd ever gone, except that someone else was going to be joining her in her corner. She was comfortable at this place, which is the exact reason why she chose it. If she was going to be nervous in a public place, it should be in a place she's comfortable in.

"Santana?" a sweet voice questioned the girl lost in her own thoughts.

Gulping down her nerves, Santana looked up from the book she wasn't reading and responded, "That's me. Sonny?"

"In the flesh. Can I...?" he trailed his question off and gestured to the empty comfy chair next to Santana's.

"Yeah, of course."

'_Try not to be the mayor of Awkward City. Maybe I should try to make him laugh?'_

"So, I'm not gonna lie, this kinda feels like a blind date. Just a warning: you're barking up a very gay tree," Santana joked, breathing out a laugh at the end of her sentence.

"Not gonna lie, I could tell. I'm plagued with the wrong gaydar. I can only tell a guy is gay if he's screaming it. Of course those are the ones I don't want," Sonny said in one of the gayest voices Santana had ever heard.

"Oh my god! Me too! I can spot a gay guy from a mile away, but unless a girl is super butch, I have no clue. And since I'm a little too internally butch for that, I want nothing of it," Santana said feeling her nerves slip away with every word she spoke.

"We're already a perfect team!" Sonny said excitedly and tapped Santana's knee with a limp wrist.

'_A team?'_ "A team?" Santana vocalized her question.

"Ooo, that was a little forward wasn't it?" Santana didn't really know what she thought. "People need to hear your stuff. I. Was. Floored. When and where did you learn how to make such unbelievable mash-ups?"

That was an easy question to answer. "High school glee club."

"WHAT? High school glee club?"

'_I guess once upon a time I thought it was weird, too.'_ "Yeah. Every year we had a boys versus girls mash-up competition. Oh and we performed a mash-up of _Thriller_ and _Heads will Roll_ for a half-time show. Zombie make-up and all."

"You guys _sang_ mash-ups?" Sonny clearly had no clue that was possible.

"Umm... yeah. It's a lot different than mixing the originals. It's easier to change the key but you also have to change the arrangements and add in harmonies-"

"But you translated it?" Sonny's eyes were wide with interest at what Santana was saying to him.

"Uh huh."

"I fucking love you!" Sonny practically yelled, "Where are you from?"

If he was surprised by the glee club thing he was really gonna love this, "Lima, Ohio."

"You're shitting me?" he deadpanned.

"I shit you not," Santana deadpanned back.

"Welcome to your new home!" Sonny said with a stereotypical snap.

"Thanks," Santana said through a chuckle. _'Okay enough about me. His turn to spill something.'_ "You know, you're a lot different when you spin."

"I know. That's the point. Sonny and DJ B Rok are two different people. DJ B Rok is a 'G from the hood,' but Sonny's a fruity black kid from Forest Hills. It's easier to have real friends when you put on an act," Sonny revealed.

"I guess that makes sense."

There was silence between the two for a moment and after Sonny took a deep breath, he broke it with, "Okay, here's really why I wanted to meet you, besides putting a face to the mash-ups: I think you could be huge and I want to help there," Sonny said in a convincing tone.

'_What?'_ This wasn't something she had thought about before. She was just making these mash-ups because she didn't have a life for six months. Between school and work she still had free time to think about Brittany, but making the mash-ups filled the extra time. This is a little more though. "I'm not willing to quit school or my job... or sacrifice my friendships-"

"You don't have to," Sonny was quick to interrupt, "We can get together whenever you have time and when you're ready, you can spin your stuff at my club."

'_The semester's over and it's the summer, so I actually have time to learn. I think I can do this!'_

Santana took a deep breath and prepared herself for the reaction she was going to get from her new flamboyantly gay friend. Then she simply said to him, "Okay."

And DJ Slo-Pez was born. For the most part.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope this was a pleasant surprise! I'm updating because I was double-dog dared to. Don't think that it will ever work again though! I'm standing my ground on this one.**

**I also have a a crummy cold and was really hoping I'd get some really sweet reviews to cheer me up... I am such an asshole... and an attention whore.**


	13. Where's Your Room?

September 2014, New York City  
>The Bar that Santana Works At and Lives Above<p>

"Mikey!" Santana yelled as she walked into her aunt's bar.

There were a lot of cheers but one voice rang out clear in response to Santana's call, "Hola, Mamí!"

"You are an old, homosexual, white man. Why do I have to continuously remind you of this?" Santana joked with her co-worker.

"That's why it's okay!" he yelled back. "Who's the new girl?" he asked as the group approached the bar.

"This is Quinn! We went to high school together," Santana introduced her friend, "Quinn, this is Mike aka, Dragon Lady."

"Back in the day he was the best drag queen in the city!" Kurt added with excitement.

"I will get you in a dress!" Mike yelled to Kurt.

"I haven't designed the right one yet," Kurt responded.

Mike scowled at him and then asked the group, "Everyone drinking?" There was a collective nod and without asking what anyone wanted he began making the drinks.

Santana laughed to herself as she watched Quinn watch Mike race around the bar pouring drinks. She laughed out loud when Quinn looked to her after Mike had placed a Captain and Diet in front of her.

"He didn't even ask me?" Quinn said through her look of shock.

"He's talented. Before I brought them here, Kurt and Rach were drinking Midori Sours, but he put a Stoli Razz and Sprite in front of both of them and they haven't looked back. I'm going to guess that you found your perfect drink on your own," Santana informed her surprised friend.

"You mean I haven't changed your life?" Mike said with disappointment. Quinn merely shook her head. "Dammit!" Mike yelled and walked off to help another customer.

"Is he actually mad?" Quinn said nervously.

"No. He was joking. You'll get used to his wit. He's an old gay guy, it's all they had once upon a time," Santana said, appreciating the Intro to LGBT Studies course she had taken. She grabbed her drink and spun around in her stool so that her back was to the bar and spotted Rachel and her human dildo dry humping at a table. A sigh escaped from her throat and she heard Quinn cracking up next to her, "What's so funny?"

"That," Quinn said pointing to what Santana had just rolled her eyes at, "What happened to 'I'm going to be 25 and married before I lose my virginity?' Kurt told me she's sleeping with that guy."

"Yeah, that guy and her scene partner from one of her classes. She gave it up her first semester at Juilliard. She was stressed out and one of her classmates offered to 'fix it.' At least that's what she told me. She's had a couple _actual_ boyfriends, though and none of them have been beefy, bird-brains like Finnept. She keeps _those_ as friends with benefits," Santana revealed to Quinn.

"Whoa," was all Quinn said.

"Yeah, I was shocked when she told me a year and half ago," Santana laughed out.

"And Kurt? No more Blaine?" Quinn questioned as she looked over to Kurt who was deep in conversation with the guy he had brought back from the club.

"Oh, they broke up before Kurt moved here. Blaine wasn't willing to have a long distance relationship and Kurt wasn't willing to give up his dreams," Santana shrugged.

"Wow. Two years does a lot," Quinn sighed.

"Don't act like you haven't changed," Santana said pointing her finger at Quinn and then remembered something Quinn had mentioned on the day they saw each other in The Strand, "You spent two years in Chicago and what? A couple months in Europe? Don't tell me those didn't change you at all?"

"I wasn't saying I haven't changed," Quinn said with a familiar smirk that was _really_ starting to get to Santana.

"Well, tell me about Europe?" Santana asked with slightly raised eye brows.

Putting down her empty cup, Quinn responded, "What do you want to know?" At the end of her question Quinn's eyes flicked up and met with Santana's. The darker haired girl didn't know what hit her. All she gathered was that they were hazel and she was lost.

"Anything you want to tell me," the Latina managed to say from her daze.

"Hmmm, let's see," Quinn said as she grabbed the new drink that was placed in front of her, "Well I started in Rome with my friend Rae, from Northwestern. We spent a couple days there and then moved up through Tuscany where I had some of the best food I have ever had in my entire life. I'm surprised I didn't come home ten pounds heavier. I saw _David_. He's huge... yet oddly disproportionate. We spent two days getting lost in Venice. Seriously, it's a maze! Just when you think you've found your way, you haven't. I got to ride in a gondola and the gondolier sang the entire time. We ate way too much chocolate in Switzerland. We stopped near the Black Forest in Germany and I felt like I was in a Grimm Fairy Tale. We basically followed the Rhine until we got to the Netherlands, where I lost my travel companion." Here, Quinn let out a laugh, "I lost her to all of the legal marijuana Amsterdam could offer her," she sighed and continued, "I went to Paris by myself. I spent a week there. I don't know how but I just kept finding things to do. Then, I spent the rest of the time in London." Quinn's eyes suddenly became dreamy and she continued, "London is by far my favorite place in the world. There's this beautiful mixture of old and new everywhere you turn. I'm going to live there one day. I spent three weeks there. I was originally going to go to Spain and then come back to fly out of Heathrow, but I just couldn't leave. I cried when I had to go home."

Santana sat mesmerized by Quinn's passion. The moment she began talking about London her entire demeanor had changed. She was moving her hands more and her facial expressions became more and more involved. She wasn't saying much but it was obvious how much she had loved this place. The two drinks that she had consumed while she was telling her story probably helped fuel this, but her passion for London was still easily witnessed and it made Quinn practically irresistible to Santana.

"Where's the bathroom?" Quinn asked.

Snapping out of yet another Quinn-induced daze, Santana responded, "It's in that hallway that goes past the back wall."

"Be right back," Quinn said and put her hand on Santana's thigh to let herself down off of the stool. Santana thought her thigh was on fire and suddenly felt Quinn's touch everywhere. _Everywhere_. "Woo, I guess I'm a little tipsier than I thought," Quinn giggled out and then turned towards the bathroom.

Santana watched her stumble her way to the back of the bar and then turned to Kurt, "Hey, Kurt? How many drinks did Q have at the club?"

"One!"

'_Okay so that's one normal drink and three Dragon Lady drinks... she's done.'_ Santana pulled out her phone and saw that it was already 1:30 in the morning. There was no way she was going to let Quinn, who was probably going to return from the bathroom even more drunk than she was when walked to it, go all the way back to Morningside by herself.

Santana's thoughts were interrupted by someone poking at her shoulder. "Santana?" she heard Quinn's voice from behind her, "I'm drunk."

"It's okay Q, you had three Dragon Lady drinks. You've pretty much had about ten shots of Captain," Santana said being completely honest.

"Wow, I'm reallydrunk," Quinn said tying her words together.

"Uh huh."

"Hey, we're all going to head out," Kurt said. Santana hadn't even noticed that Kurt and Rachel and their respective boy toys had approached them.

"Okay! See you guys tomorrow?" Santana asked.

"I have rehearsal like all weekend," Rachel said detaching her lips from the meathead.

"I have to work all weekend," Kurt added.

"That's cool, I should probably get started on some of my reading anyw-" Santana cut herself off when she felt something heavy land on her shoulder. She turned her head and her cheek hit Quinn's forehead. The other four around her began cracking up at the slumbering blonde's expense. "I should probably get her upstairs."

"Uh... yeah," Kurt said, "We'll call you, okay, S?"

Santana nodded and the group began walking towards the door. Just as she was about to walk out, Rachel turned around and yelled out, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Santana gave her friend a death glare and shook her head. Rachel simply winked and turned out the door.

"Hey Q! You gotta wake up, okay?" Santana said lightly tapping her friend's cheek.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Wait, where is everybody?" Quinn said looking around for their friends.

"They had to go. We're going to leave, too. We have to go upstairs though, okay?" Santana said grabbing Quinn's hand. She tried her best to ignore the feeling in her stomach that was desperately trying to get her attention.

"To your apartment? Are we gonna sleep in your bed?" Quinn asked and then slid off of the stool she was sitting on. She landed on her feet and stood straight up on her own and Santana began to lead her out of the bar.

"You're going to sleep in my bed. I'm going to sleep in the other bedroom," Santana answered, certain that Quinn would have no problem with this.

Wrong. Quinn jutted out her lower lip in a pout, "That's stupid! You should sleep in your own bed! With me!" Quinn whined and then smacked her hands over her mouth.

Santana really wasn't sure what to make of what Quinn was saying. She was fully aware that alcohol had a tendency to pull the truth out of people, but all Quinn was saying was that she wanted Santana to sleep in her own bed... with her. _'Stop thinking and get her upstairs. She's a mess and needs to sleep... alone in my bed.'_

"Come on Q, we just need to get up one flight and we'll be in my apartment okay?"

"I don't have any pajamas!"

"That really isn't important right now, Q. Let's just get up the stairs and we'll deal with that then," Santana groaned as she practically pushed the blonde up the stairs. "Okay, in you go," she said opening the door and dragging Quinn by the arm into the apartment.

"Where's your room?"

Santana sighed, "Straight ahead. There are sweat pants in the bottom drawer of my dresser if you want a pair."

While she was in her kitchen guzzling down a glass of water, Santana heard a huge thud come from her room, "Quinn, what was that?"

"My pants are too tight!"

With an exacerbated sigh, Santana walked to her room where she found Quinn sitting on the floor with her pants halfway down her thighs. "Come on, I'll help you," Santana said sucking back the nerves she'd developed at the sight. She grabbed the ankles of Quinn's jeans and started pulling. They slid off easily and Santana wondered why Quinn had a problem, despite her level of inebriation.

Santana grabbed a pair of sweatpants for Quinn and when she turned back around from her dresser, Quinn was removing her bra from under her shirt._ 'Why is that always so sexy?'_

"Thanks," Quinn said getting up a little too quickly, but keeping her footing. She grabbed the sweat pants and when she went to put them on she fell onto the bed. Santana laughed and watched as Quinn lifted her butt and slid the pants on.

"You should really go to sleep," Santana gulped out as Quinn began to curl up in her bed.

"Only if you sleep here, too," Quinn said with a pout that Santana was going to have to resist.

"I can't," Santana admitted hoping that Quinn wasn't going to remember anything after her European story.

"Fine!" Quinn huffed and turned over onto her other side so that Santana could no longer see her face. Within seconds, Santana could hear light snoring coming from the little blonde girl in her bed.

Santana laughed to herself and whispered, "Good night, Q."

'_What was that?'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Surprised? I was feeling generous. What can I say? I'm a giver. But... there's always a but... I am a fan of receiving, so review away!**

**A/N dos: You all have Intreeged to thank for double-dog daring me to update yesterday. Just in case you were wondering.**

**A/N 3: Aaand to answer REVlox, I went to school on Long Island and one of closest friends is from Forest Hills so I've been there many times. I also lived in NYC for a little bit so my research has been kind of minimum when it comes to location (I may or may not have made some things up, though).**

**Well there I go giving away all of my secrets!**


	14. The FWB

**A brief A/N: Just a reminder that this is rated M. Don't say I didn't warn you.**

* * *

><p>March 2013, Chicago<br>A Single Dorm Room, North Mid-Quads Hall

"Fffffuck!"

"Jesus, do want everyone on the floor to hear you?"

"Stop talking and put your tongue back in me!"

"Ooo, keep talking to me like that and you won't be able to walk back to your apartment, Fabray."

Quinn grabbed a fist full of long brown, highlighted hair and shoved its owner's face back down between her legs. Her back arched as she felt her friend-with-benefits' tongue slide up from her entrance to her clit. She tried her best to keep her moaning to a reasonable volume but when she felt the other girl's fingers enter her and instantly find her spot, she couldn't prevent the profanity from flying out of her mouth again. There was no stopping this time and Quinn felt herself rapidly heading towards her orgasm.

Through her panting she said to her friend, "Don't stop... oh my god... don't stop!" She looked down at the mess of long brown hair that was bobbing in between her legs and smiled at how sexy she thought it was. Then she watched as a hand slid up from her knee all the way up to her breast where it stopped and rolled her nipple in between its thumb and forefinger. Between that, the tongue moving perfectly on her clit, and the curled fingers pumping in and out of her, Quinn was thrown into a thought shattering orgasm. It rippled through her entire body causing her limbs to go limp when it was finally over.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Quinn's FWB said, "My turn."

Still fairly out of breath, Quinn responded, "Give me a minute, my arms are useless at the moment."

"I don't need your arms," the other girl said crawling onto the bed next to Quinn.

"What?" Quinn asked not understanding what her friend was getting at, at all.

"I want you to do to me, what I just did to you," she answered with resolution and her big brown eyes locking into Quinn's hazel.

"I told you when we started this, Rae, I don't do oral," Quinn responded with her own tenacity. Suddenly feeling the strength returned to her limbs, she sat up in an effort to avoid eye contact with Rae.

"Why?" Rae asked, sitting up, "You'll give a dude a blow job but you won't go down on a girl?"

"They're totally different," Quinn scoffed, "besides, eating a girl out is just too gay."

"That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard. I'm not gay and I just went down on you," Rae responded, calling out Quinn's bull shit.

Quinn knew that it wasn't fair but she wasn't going to give in, "You have to be at least a little gay to be willing to go down on a girl." She knew that this was probably a low a blow but it might be the only way to get out of this.

"You know what, fine, maybe I am. But you know what, you're a little bit gay, too. Don't even act like you don't think watching me go down on you is hot as hell. Girls that are truly straight, wouldn't think that. They wouldn't even get this far with a girl," Rae expressed with a hint of anger and the skin under her freckles becoming flush.

It was just enough anger to turn Quinn back on. She knew Rae was right. Quinn was a little bit gay. Girls that are completely straight don't keep going back for sex with another girl. Maybe it was time for Quinn to take the plunge. Plus, Rae's anger was starting to build, causing Quinn's center to heat up even more. Horrible innuendos aside, it was time for Quinn to "do oral."

"Lie back down."

"What?"

"Lie back down!" Quinn said forcefully as she shoved Rae back down onto the bed. Quinn immediately straddled Rae's hips and leaned down to take one of her nipples into her mouth.

"Change your mind? Oh fuck," Rae whispered.

"Shut up or I'll change it back," Quinn said and then sucked Rae's other nipple into her mouth. Rae exhaled a throaty breath and let her head fall back to the pillow. She moaned as Quinn made her way down her body, licking and biting a trail down her abdomen.

Quinn stopped when she found herself at the triangle of flesh that hovers over her destination. She looked up at Rae who gave her a look of encouragement in return. She knew Rae wasn't going to say that she could stop if she wanted to. That wasn't what Rae wanted and she'd made it clear a month ago when this started that she always got what she wanted. Quinn should have believed her. Taking a deep breath for preparation's sake, Quinn proceeded downward.

"Breathe through you mouth," Rae offered as Quinn got a little closer to her lips.

Quinn took the advice and opened her mouth to let oxygen into her nervous body. _'It's now or never,'_ she thought as she looked directly at Rae's clit. She lowered her head and thrusted her tongue out to meet with the bundle of nerves in front of her, giving it a single lick. Quinn wasn't really sure what to expect it to taste like, she had just assumed that it was going to be terrible. Turns out, Quinn really liked the way it tasted. So much so that she wanted to taste it again. She brought her tongue back to Rae's clit and began flicking away at it. The taste was almost indescribable. It was tangy, but sweet but there was something else that made it so great. When the tangy and sweet faded away to Quinn's saliva, she figured it out. Skin. Not just any skin, but skin that stays hidden only to be seen - and tasted - in the most intimate of situations. _That_ is what made the taste worth coming back for.

If the taste wasn't motivation enough, the sounds that were coming out of the girl above her made her want to never stop. The fact that her mouth had forced this girl to put a pillow over her face so that her screams wouldn't be heard throughout the dorm, boosted Quinn's ego to a new level. She heard a muffled "Fuck me," and wanted nothing more than to oblige the request. After briefly teasing at the other girl's entrance and eliciting a whine from said girl, Quinn thrust her first two fingers inside of her and began pumping away.

Rae liked hard, fast thrusts and it often made Quinn's arm feel like it was made of gelatin by the time she got her off, but right now, Quinn could tell that Rae was getting close and she wasn't going to have to have pump her arm for too long.

Hopefully, Quinn was right about Rae being close, because her tongue was starting to hurt. She curled up her fingers and found the spot within Rae's walls that felt different than rest. After a few more pounding thrusts and twice as many circles on her clit, Rae began to shudder and profanities were thrown into the pillow covering her face. Quinn slowed down all of her motions as Rae rode out her orgasm. Taking back her fingers from Rae's still contracting walls, on a whim, Quinn decided to lick her fingers that were coated with her friend's juices. She wound up sucking them clean.

"You are totally a little bit gay," Rae said after Quinn was done cleaning her fingers with her mouth.

Quinn simply shrugged one of her shoulders and then began to put her clothes back on.

"Same time tomorrow?" Rae asked.

"Unless I find a boyfriend between then and now," Quinn replied, "And we're doing that again," she added, popping her eyebrows up and smirking.

"As if I'd stop you," Rae said in return.

"See you tomorrow."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yup. See? Rated M. Hopefully, this didn't come off as smut for the sake of smut, because it isn't.**

**A/N 2: Since the premiere of Season 3 is rapidly approaching I just want to throw this out there really quick for future reference: This story is blatantly ignoring whatever actually happens on the show after Season 2 Episode 22. Just to reiterate, it's canon from 1x01 to 2x22. Everything that takes place after (or before), I've 100% made up. It might be obvious but I just want to make it clear.**

**A/N 3: As always, I would love to hear from you! Comment away!**


	15. Who Opened That Curtain?

September 2014, New York City  
>Santana's Apartment?<p>

'_Oh god who opened that curtain?'_

"Santana?" Quinn asked an empty bedroom. "Ugh," she groaned over her pounding head and buried her face into the pillow. She inhaled sharply and was instantly overwhelmed by the scent that the pillow was doused in. She found herself taking in Santana's scent over and over again until she started getting dizzy from breathing into a pillow. When she finally lifted her head away, she was met with another irresistible scent: bacon.

Smelling her favorite food being cooked was just the motivation she needed to get herself out of Santana's bed. After making a stop in the bathroom, where she did her best to fix her hair and wipe away her stray eyeliner, she made her way to the kitchen. When she got there the first thing she saw was Santana standing at the stove in a t-shirt and her underwear. The Latina was moving her hips to whatever song was playing through her ear buds and Quinn couldn't peel her eyes away. Her leering was completely absent minded and she barely realized that she was nibbling on her lower lip.

"Holy shit! Q!" Santana yelled when she turned around, "Jesus! You should really make your presence known and not sneak up on people."

Quinn began cracking up with laughter at her friend, but then, her headache started to rage behind her eyes, "Ow! Please tell me that whatever you're cooking comes with a side of pain killers?"

Santana turned back around to the counter behind her and then returned with a mug full of coffee and a bottle of ibuprofen.

"Oh my god, I love you!" Quinn let fall out of her mouth as she sat down on a stool at the island. Santana simply grinned and went back to the stove. Without hesitation Quinn poured out three pills, popped them into her mouth and washed them down with a gulp of coffee. "Ew."

"There's creamer in the fridge and sugar in that cabinet," Santana said pointing up and to her right.

Quinn got up from the stool and started for the fridge. She decided that she wanted to find out what Santana was cooking that smelled so delicious, however and sauntered over to the stove. "What are you making?" Quinn asked leaning slightly into Santana and leaning over the stove.

"Omelets. Do you like spinach?" Santana asked turning her head so that hers and Quinn's faces were so close, they were breathing the same air.

Quinn felt her eyes widen and then her legs give slightly, luckily her cheerleading reflexes caught her and she was able to take a couple steps back. "Yeah... umm... this one?" she asked as she grabbed for a cabinet.

"Yup. The sugar should be right in front," Santana said going back to making the omelets.

'_Get a hold of yourself. God! This isn't high school!'_ Quinn berated herself as she poured hazelnut creamer and way too much sugar into her coffee.

"Put something into your stomach before those pills you took cause you some more pain," Santana said as she slid two plates across the island in Quinn's direction.

Quinn looked up and in front of her were an omelet and a plate full of bacon. She grabbed a strip of bacon and shoved the whole thing in her mouth, "You're the best!"

"Try that omelet before you say that. I've just gotten it down," Santana said and then took a bite of her own.

Quinn picked up her fork and cut into the folded egg creation in front of her. She brought the fork to her mouth and her taste buds were met with an egg/cheese/spinach/bacon explosion, "You're right! I take that back. You are a breakfast god."

"So there isn't too much Tabasco?"

"That's what that is? Oh my god, S, it's amazing!" Quinn said taking another bite of her breakfast heaven. "Jeez Santana, is there anything you can't do? I don't see you for two years and I find out that you're basically a chef, at the top of your class - Kurt told me - and this super popular DJ. Anything else I should know about?"

By this point Santana was blushing and Quinn thought it was adorable. "Umm... that's pretty much it," Santana responded, "Well, I guess the fact that Rachel is like my best friend is pretty shocking."

"I think that one actually takes the cake," Quinn said making her surprise at the Latina's comment as clear as possible.

"Yeah, it is pretty weird, but we're actually a lot alike. I think we get along now because we don't _have_ to see each other. No one is forcing us to deal with the other on a daily basis," Santana said leaning in towards Quinn from the other side of the island.

"That makes sense actually. It's still weird as all hell, but it makes sense," Quinn said with a smirk that she found herself making often when she was speaking to Santana.

"By now we know each other better than we know ourselves actually," Santana added with a small chuckle.

"That's so weird," Quinn said quietly and went back to her breakfast. She broke the silence with a question she meant to ask last night, but couldn't remember if she had. Actually, thinking about it, Quinn couldn't remember a lot from last night, at least nothing after telling Santana about Europe and then going to the bathroom. Anyways, "So, DJ Slo-Pez?"

Santana sighed and rolled her eyes, "It was an accident. Turns out periods are hard to see when there are multi-colored lights flashing around you."

Quinn had no idea what Santana was talking about and she made sure her face showed it.

"The first time I spun my stuff, the guy that introduced me read my name wrong. The paper said S. Lopez but he read it Slo-Pez and it stuck," Santana answered as if she'd told the story a million times before.

"I actually think you lucked out, S. Lopez is boring," Quinn said through a giggle.

"Okay, Lucy Q," Santana retorted.

"You're lucky I'm over that, Lopez, or I would have been over this island with my hands around your neck," Quinn said through a devious smirk that rivaled the one Santana used sport in high school.

Santana took a few steps back and threw her hands up in surrender. Quinn chuckled to herself and brought her attention back to her plates. _'What I really want is to jump over this island and fu- STOP! Bad idea! Bad idea! Cold shower time.' _ "Hey, do you mind if I take a shower? I'm feeling pretty grimy."

"Yeah, of course. Towels are in the closet next to the door."

"Thanks," Quinn responded as she got up from the stool. She walked straight to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Immediately she turned on the shower, then found a towel. As she was undressing she caught her reflection in the full length mirror on the door. Plain as day she saw the darkened spot of her arousal in her underwear. _'How is this even possible?'_ Quinn thought as she finished getting undressed.

She turned away from the mirror and out of the corner of her eye she spotted a larger than reasonable bruise on the side of her ass. "OH MY GOD!"

"Are you okay, Q?" Santana asked from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, if you exclude the gigantic mystery bruise on my ASS!" Quinn yelled out. She grabbed her towel, wrapped it around herself and poked her head around the door, "I'm really hoping that you know where this came from?"

Santana adopted a 'this is awkward' face and answered, "Umm... you kind of fell when you were trying to take your jeans off last night."

"What else happened?" Quinn questioned with stress in her eyes.

"What's the last thing you remember...?"

"Telling you about Europe and then going to the very clean bathroom," Quinn responded knowing full well that she was missing at least a half an hour of her life.

"So you don't remember coming back from the bathroom and saying how drunk you were?"

"Uuuuuhm nope. But that sounds like something I would say," Quinn said. Maybe she hadn't made that much of a fool of herself.

"It was kind of hard to get you upstairs but other than that and the pants mishap, you were fine," Santana answered cooling Quinn's nerves.

"Promise?"

"Uh huh."

'_She wouldn't tell me if I'd said something, would she?'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I would just really like to thank everyone that's reading this. I actually love you. I'm not even kidding. I also love reading the comments that you have been leaving me. They're fabulous. You're fabulous! I can't wait to read more of your excellent comments.**


	16. Besties

October 2013, New York City  
>A Bedroom in a TriBeCa Apartment<p>

Santana felt the full fledged wave of her hangover slam into her entire body at approximately ten in the morning. She didn't remember opening her curtains the night before, but was completely aware of the bright sunlight that was pouring into her room at the moment. If she was going to be completely honest, she didn't really remember much at all about last night, at least nothing after the sixth Long Island Iced Tea that her friend Mike had made her. Of course she spent her night off with her friends at the bar that she worked at. No one can pass up free under-aged drinking.

As she tried to lift herself out of bed, Santana felt an extra shift of her mattress. Abandoning her efforts, she turned her head towards the shift to see who or what was moving.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The other girl in Santana's bed jumped so much, she rolled off of it taking a sheet with her, leaving Santana completely naked on the mattress.

"FUCK!" the Latina cried out and jumped out off the bed in search of her bath robe or a shirt or even a towel... literally anything that would cover her up. Luckily, she found her underwear and an oversized t-shirt crumpled on the floor near her closet. Once the clothes were on Santana and the other girl was standing with the sheet wrapped around her, Santana questioned frantically, "Rachel, what were you doing in my bed? Naked?"

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious, don't you, Santana?" Rachel said pulling the sheet around her tighter and crossing her arms.

Suddenly the black, alcohol induced cloud was lifted and Santana remembered a lot more of what happened the night before. "We... you and me... we...?" she stuttered out, unable to formulate a proper sentence.

"Yeah, I think we did..." the small brunette said nervously.

"Are you sure? I mean, I remember dancing and then both of us on the stairs-"

"Making out," the little diva added.

"And then on the couch-"

"Topless making out-"

"And then the bed..." Santana gulped, "OH MY GOD! We did do it!" The Latina slapped her hands over her mouth in shock at the situation.

"Jeez, Santana, act a little more freaked out. What's done is done. We really can't change it now, can we?" Rachel said sitting down on the bed.

Slowly, very slowly, Santana's panic left her body as she realized that Rachel was right. There really wasn't anything either of them could do now... except, "This probably shouldn't happen _ever_ again."

"Don't worry, I think we'll both be a little too hyper-aware of it for it to happen again," Rachel assured Santana. "Although, I don't remember it being bad..." the girl sitting at queen sized bed width from Santana said.

"We were drunk, I don't think you remember it being good either," Santana tried deflecting.

"I remember a lot of moaning and name screaming and a little bit of Spanish..." Rachel said trailing off her sentence and allowing her bottom lip to slide between her teeth.

'_Oh god, what is she doing? And what is my vagina doing? No, no, no! This is Rachel Berry here! You're straight friend, Rachel Berry!'_ Despite her brain's protests, Santana found herself sitting on the bed with Rachel.

"... Now I'm not saying we should jump into some sort of relationship, I don't think that's my thing," Santana nodded at the girl across from her and wondered where this was going, "But, I don't think I would be completely against a friends with benefits scenario. I mean, you just broke up that red head-"

"Mackenzie."

"Right, and I just broke up with Logan. I think this is something we could both handle," Rachel said letting her eyebrows quirk up and her nostrils flare.

Santana really needed to think about this. Like, really, really think about this. She sat staring at her hands in her lap for approximately forever, well, at least until she felt Rachel kissing her neck and running her hand up her inner thigh. Rachel wasted no time and slipped her hand into Santana's underwear. "I think I might have just found my answer," the smaller girl said and kissed Santana down her jawline then up her chin to her mouth. Santana couldn't stop the moan that came out of her throat as Rachel began circling her clit.

'_Maybe I should just see how this goes...'_ "Oh fuck!" Santana cried as Rachel plunged two fingers into her.

Rachel was no longer wrapped up in the sheet and the next time Santana opened her eyes she saw a naked Rachel Berry in between her legs. Completely on impulse, Santana sent her left hand forward and dipped her fingers into Rachel's folds, eliciting a strangely musical moan from the diva. Knowing she was playing catch-up she began circling Rachel's clit at a fast pace causing the brunette's hips to buck, her thumb to slip and her not-so-lesbian-sex-friendly thumb nail to scratch Santana.

"Mother fucker!"

"What?" Rachel asked unsure of what had happened, but completely aware that Santana had stopped touching her.

Upon seeing Rachel's clueless facial expression, Santana couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"What?" Rachel asked, pulling out of the Latina and sitting back on her heels.

"Rach, we can't do this. It's too weird... and you're too straight," Santana said through her continued laughter.

After a few seconds Rachel was laughing right along with Santana, "I think you're right."

"Let's just put our drunken hook-up behind us and say it was just that, a drunken hook-up. Not a mistake, just... influenced," Santana suggested.

"I like that." Looking down at her exposed self, Rachel added, "I think I'm going to get dressed. Breakfast? On me?"

"Sure. I think we can handle that."

Both girls laughed some more and during their breakfast they promised each other that they'd never tell anyone about their alcohol induced sexcapade.

Not that they thought anyone would ever believe them, anyways.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay new update schedule: I'm going to post a present day chapter and then the next day a flashback chapter, skip a day and then repeat. Make sense? I'm getting impatient, but I'm kind of drawing this out for a reason... so... be patient with me?**

**A/N 2: Someone actually made a comment a while back about wanting a little Pezberry hookup... this chapter has been written for almost 2 months now. I hope this wasn't predictable. Don't tell me if it was, I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it.**

**A/N 3: This is getting real close to to 100 reviews... just throwing that out there... you know, the attention whore that I am.**


	17. All Quiet

October 2014, New York City  
>11th and Bleeker<p>

It had been a month and a half since the Drunken Quinn Incident. Santana was only referring to it as that because things were said, things were forgotten, and bruises were had. Usually when bruises are involved, it's considered an incident.

A month and half had gone by and she still hadn't told anyone about Quinn insisting that they sleep in the same bed and Santana subsequently turning her down, saying that she couldn't. This hadn't even graced Rachel's ears yet and Santana told Rachel everything. At this point Rachel was probably going to be pissed that Santana had waited so long to tell her. Knowledge of this was only causing Santana to procrastinate telling her even more.

Although at this moment, Santana herself was pretty pissed. She made it a point not to stand in line with tourists and here she was standing in line with a bunch of tourists waiting to get their hands on some famous mediocre cupcakes.

"I can't believe you convinced me to stand in this line with you," Santana huffed, looking down to her shorter friend.

"We are standing in this line for banana pudding. The best banana pudding EVER. It is completely worth the wait and you know it," Rachel said crossing her arms and pursing her lips.

"Right in this moment I wish you were still a vegan," Santana said leaning down to get into her friend's face.

"Well, just think of it as contributing to the expansion of my life expectancy," Rachel sassed back at Santana

"Great, a mouthy sentence and disappointing news," Santana said rolling her eyes and head away from Rachel and then returning with a smile.

Rachel shook her head at her best friend and then to get back at her, changed the subject, "So, how're things on the Quinn front?"

"All quiet," Santana knew the reference was dorky but she couldn't resist making it. She thought that it might go over Rachel's head.

Of course she was wrong and she was met with Rachel's 'really?' face. "When did you become a nerd? Sometimes I think that we've swapped bodies or something," Rachel questioned as they turned the corner in the line.

While she did want to talk to Rachel about Quinn, she didn't want it to be in middle of a line where they were surrounded weird tourists, "I don't really want to talk about it here, okay?"

"Understandable," Rachel said as she looked around her, "We're going to Abingdon Square to eat the pudding and we're talking about it, though."

"Fine," Santana said as they entered the bakery and were immediately separated.

They met back up outside the bakery after making their purchases and walked the two blocks to Abingdon Square. Santana sipped on her coffee while Rachel blabbed about the curtains that she and Kurt were buying for their apartment. _'Straight girls and gay guys,'_ Santana scoffed to herself. The instant their butts hit the bench though, Rachel was all over Santana about Quinn, "So, what's going on between you two?"

"Who?" Santana tried playing dumb.

"Don't play that. You know who," chided Rachel.

"Voldemort?" Santana joked. She had a feeling she'd taken this one a little far.

"While I appreciate the joke, I don't appreciate it's timing, now stop being a bitch and tell me what's going on between you and Quinn!" Rachel elevated her voice to a level that Santana was sure everyone else in the park could hear.

"Okay, chill out, Rach. I'm sorry," Santana said prolonging the discussion even further. Rachel gave her a scowl. "Nothing is happening and nothing is going to happen, okay. Quinn's straight," Santana said even though she didn't think that last part was _entirely_ true.

"I beg to differ," Rachel said as if she knew _she_ was right, "I saw you two in the DJ booth. You came up behind her and she like, didn't know what to do with herself."

Santana didn't believe her, "You're full of sh-"

"And Kurt told me that she stared at you for two full songs and by the time he interrupted her staring, her lip was between her teeth and she had fuck me eyes," Rachel said in her 'I told you so' voice.

"Shit," Santana accidentally said out loud.

"What?"

'_Fuck. Now you have to answer her.'_ "That's not me. When I'm up there, that's DJ Slo-Pez. She's all confident and badass. Santana's a pussy."

"Well, you are what you eat," Rachel mumbled.

"Why do people make that joke and think it's funny?" Santana snapped back.

"Whatever. You know, I feel like I remember a much more confident Santana back in high school. One that slept with whoever she wanted and did whatever she wanted," Rachel gave back to her friend.

"And that's where you're wrong. Confident girls don't sleep with every guy in their high school. Confident girls don't tear everyone around her down. Confident girls don't get boob jobs at sixteen. I haven't changed as much as you think, Rachel," Santana said feeling tears well up in her throat.

Probably sensing those tears, Rachel began, "You have changed, just not the way I thought. You don't sleep around anymore. You don't tear people down anymore. And now you have great tits."

Santana laughed, "I've always had great tits, I just wanted greater tits."

Rachel joined in on Santana's laughter, but cut it short in order to ask another question, "S?"

Through her minimizing laughter, "Yeah?"

"Why are you so convinced that Quinn doesn't want you?" Rachel said through her sweet and caring best friend voice.

Santana took note of Rachel's wording and ran with it, "That's the thing, I'm almost positive that she _wants_ me, but I don't think it's the way I want her want me - don't start singing," Santana was quick to say knowing full well that the singer thought of the song instantly.

"What?" Rachel said with a look of shock.

"I said want her to-"

"No! I mean you know she _wants_ you. Like wants to have sex with you, wants you?" Rachel asked with her eyes wide and her nostrils flared.

"I think so, yeah. But that's not what I want... I..." Santana scrunched her face in recognition of the point of no return, "I like her."

"I knew it! I was right at the club last month wasn't I?" Rachel said shifting on the bench so that she was facing Santana as much as she could be.

Santana sighed with defeat, "Yes."

"I'm always right."

"Shut up."

"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked, getting way too excited for the situation at hand.

"Nothing. Rach, I refuse to set myself up for disappointment. That night we went to the club and she got super drunk off of Mikey's drinks, she kept talking about how she wanted us to sleep in the same bed. I can't do that to myself," Santana said turning away from Rachel and staring at the Doughboy statue in front of her.

"Stop letting Brittany fuck up your life," Rachel said forcefully enough to make Santana turn herself back.

"Excuse me?" Santana returned, feeling a little bit of red make its way into her eyes.

"I bet she's in LA living her life just fine, while you're here second guessing yourself because you don't want to get hurt ever again. Well, you know what, you're going to be alone your whole life if you don't get over it. It's been over two years, Santana. You're smarter now and you can figure out when something is going bad before it gets worse. You also have friends that care about you and will help you get better if you do get hurt again. Stop letting your baggage weigh you down," Rachel monologued to a speechless Santana. She was completely unprepared for Rachel's bluntness, which she shouldn't have been, considering that was her style.

"What do I do?" Santana asked her best friend hoping she had the answer.

"I don't know." Santana sighed at her answer and Rachel continued, "All I know is that you'll never know if you don't try. Hang out with her more. Flirt with her. Reminisce about making my life miserable. Just, don't do nothing. Nothing is not the solution to this."

"You know, I really wish that I bumped into you and Kurt sooner," Santana admitted.

"I think we found you at the perfect time."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Clearly I was kidding yesterday. I'm going to post everyday from here on out. There are 11 chapters left after this so it will be "complete" on 9/24. I'm getting impatient because by now this story has been done for over a month and I just want people to read it! **

**A/N 2: I'm also sensing some impatience on my dear readers' end. Please, please, please stick around! I promise that you're going to be satisfied by the end (I'm suspecting it will happen sooner than that, though).**

**A/N 3: Alright, now that I've gotten my begging out of the way, let me know what you think...?**


	18. The Confession

June 2011, Lima, Ohio  
>Noah Puckerman's Basement<p>

In celebration of their impending Senior year, Puck decided to throw a huge bash for the Glee Club. Well, as big of a bash that fourteen people can create. The last time they all got together and alcohol was flowing, it certainly was a Train Wreck Extravaganza as Mercedes had pegged it before it even happened. They were all drunk for next three days and after a rather disgusting performance of _Tik Tok_ in front of the whole school, they all signed a pledge to stay sober for the rest of the year. It was one of those moments when their teacher, Mr. Schuester, actually showed that he cared about all of them.

Now, was time to celebrate their twelfth place standing at Nationals. They all had to admit that twelfth out of fifty glee clubs was pretty damn good. Next year, they knew they were going to take it. They were going to be seniors and at least most of them would be graduating, they had to win, right?

So tonight, the night of the last day of school, was "Puck's Hot Mess Extravaganza."

By 11:30, Quinn was already rolling four Jungle Juice cups deep and was working on her fifth. She knew full well that drinking away her problems didn't exactly work but she wanted to feel better and Puck kept handing her Solo cups filled with green liquid.

Quinn started feeling good by the second cup and she was feeling really great by the third. During her fourth cup she was dancing. She danced with Kurt and his boyfriend, Blaine. She danced with Mike and Tina. She danced with Sam and Mercedes (even though she thought that was kind of weird). She even danced with Puck and Zizes.

It didn't hit her that nearly everyone was paired off until she spotted Finn and Rachel. She was instantly hit with alcohol's tendency to depress its consumer. She stared at Finn and Rachel being gross for way too long and got lost in her heart broken thoughts.

'_Finn is such a hypocritical fuck!'_ she finally concluded, realizing that anything she had ever done, he had also done not just to her, but to the girl he was currently involved with. She looked around her and everyone had someone to dance with. Even Brittany and Artie were dancing. The only person she didn't see around was Santana.

Suddenly, Puck's gigantic basement felt absolutely stifling and Quinn needed out. She needed out fast. After ladling that fifth cup of Jungle Juice, she stumbled up the stairs and out the front door, hoping to sit on the front stairs alone in her misery. Quinn didn't see Santana sitting on the stairs until she was already through the door. She couldn't turn back into the house because that would be awkward, so she just decided to say, "Hey," and ask "Can I join you?"

Santana turned giving Quinn a half smile and gestured with her hand to the space next to her on the stair. Quinn took the place next to her friend and leaned into her, giving her a little nudge. Santana put her head on Quinn's shoulder and asked, "Had enough of the drunken Gleeks?"

Quinn breathed out a laugh and answered, "I've had enough of the paired off Gleeks." She took another sip of the Jungle Juice and put it down deciding that four and a half was enough. "Why are you out here?"

"I've just... had enough," Santana sighed, taking her head off of Quinn's shoulder and shifting her body so that she was facing the blonde.

There wasn't a lot of light on Puck's stoop, but Quinn could tell that Santana had been crying. She wanted nothing more than to help her friend. Despite the spats they'd had in the last two years, Quinn still considered Santana one of her closest friends. Before Quinn got pregnant and everyone found out, the two of them and Brittany had been practically inseparable and in New York when Quinn had a mental break down, Santana was there with Brittany to rescue her. Now it was Quinn's turn to rescue Santana, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Turning back away and keeping distance between them, Santana responded, "There's nothing to talk about."

'_Well that's bullshit,'_ Quinn thought. "You wouldn't be crying if there wasn't anything to talk about," she said reaching her hand over to touch Santana's thigh. Quinn heard the other girl sniffle and then watched as she brought her hands up to face to hide her tears. Closing the gap between them, Quinn scooted over on the step and wrapped her arm around Santana's shoulders.

"I just want to be happy," Santana said through her tears and into Quinn's chest.

"I know," Quinn said and then kissed the top of her friend's head. She let her face rest there, breathing in the scent of Santana's hair.

Continuing and without moving her face from Quinn's chest, Santana said, "I can't wait to get out of here. I don't know how Kurt does it. I wish I could be as strong as he is."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked. She really wasn't exactly sure what Santana was talking about.

With the exception of Santana's sniffles, the girls sat in silence for a moment. Quinn felt Santana take a deep breath underneath her and then she began to say, "I... I'm..."

"You're what?" Quinn questioned. By this point she had figured out what Santana was trying to tell her. Saying she wanted to get out of Lima and mentioning Kurt. Not to mention the song she sang with Brittany a couple of months prior and a few other things, the picture was starting to come together for Quinn.

"I'm gay," Santana finally spit out. Quinn tightened her grip around the Latina and kissed her head again. Santana continued, "and I'm in love with Brittany, but she'll only be with me if I come out. I can't do that. I think that my parents would actually kill me and it's not like I'd be able to keep it a secret. You know how people are in this town..." she trailed off as her tears began to rebuild.

Quinn loosened her grip on her friend as she said, "I'm sorry." She then placed a kiss on Santana's temple.

Santana lifted her head from Quinn's chest and sat up, staring at the walkway at the bottom of the stairs. Quinn let her arm that was wrapped around the other girl's shoulders fall to her waist. It might have been the alcohol coursing through her veins, but Quinn could feel her heart beating in a slightly faster rhythm than was normal for her. When she noticed that Santana's hand was on her knee and tracing circles on it, she felt it beat even faster.

"I just wish she would understand why I'm so scared. Not everyone's parents are cool like hers and Kurt's," Santana said through a tearless voice. She'd suddenly become fairly stoic in her demeanor, "Maybe one day I'll work up the courage to come out, but I'd have to accept the fact that I'd lose my family. Well, everyone but my Tía. I think I'm the only one that still talks to her."

"Huh?" Quinn inquired with a syllable.

Santana let out a soft breathy laugh, shaking her head a little and began, "A few years ago, my mother's side of the family decided to have a family reunion. We all met up at my Abuelos' house in Miami. Tía, who is also my godmother, showed up with her 'roommate,' Vicky. Everyone always suspected that she was more than a roommate but since _she_ had never said otherwise, no one talked about it. Until the reunion. She told everyone that Vicky was her fiancé and they were going to get married in Massachusetts where they'd moved the year before. All Hell broke loose. I was like, fourteen at the time and already fooling around with Britt, so I was terrified. I got a birthday card from her not long after and she wrote in it that she really hoped that I would still be able to keep talking to her. I wrote her this super long letter in response telling her how terrible I felt about how the rest of the family reacted and that I still loved her. I told her that I wished I could go to the wedding but it would be pretty tough to explain to the 'rents why I was going to Massachusetts for a weekend. I gave her Britt's address to send me stuff and we've kept talking ever since. Good thing, I might really need her someday."

While Santana was telling her story, Quinn had managed to wrap both of arms around Santana's waist and place her chin on the other girl's shoulder. She knew it was a little more than necessary, but strangely, it felt right. The next thing she said went straight into Santana's ear, "That was a pretty brave thing to do: going against your family and continuing to talk to your aunt."

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" Santana said with a hint of a smile as she turned slightly to meet Quinn's eyes.

Quinn nodded and Santana turned her head back to face the walkway. The hand that Santana had on Quinn's knee shifted upwards and landed on the inside of her thigh, now tracing various lazy designs across it.

With alcohol still flowing through her system and the sensation Santana's hand was leaving her with, Quinn never second guessed what she did next. Shifting her chin's placement on Santana's shoulder, Quinn nuzzled her face into Santana's neck. After once again taking in the scent of her friend's hair, she licked her lips and placed a kiss on her neck. She heard Santana hum a little, so she did it again. Another hum passed through Santana's lips and Quinn directed her kisses up to her jawline. As she moved her lips along Santana's jaw, Santana turned her head towards Quinn and when they were facing each other, Quinn didn't hesitate to bring their lips together. She wasn't thinking, she was doing what her inebriated, inhibition-less body was telling her to do. She was doing something she wanted to do. It felt good and Santana was kissing her back.

Until she wasn't.

"Quinn?" she whispered after slowly breaking the kiss and pulling away.

Quinn opened her eyes and saw that Santana was biting her lower lip and slowly shaking her head. _'What a fucking idiot!'_ Quinn silently berated herself as she watched Santana do this.

"We shouldn't do this. Neither one of us are sober or stable. Even I know this is a bad idea. I mean, I'm flattered, but I'm really not into straight girls," Santana said with a slight smirk.

"You're probably right," Quinn agreed and smiled back, but she was actually a little hurt by it. She knew Santana didn't mean it to hurt her, but Santana also didn't know that Quinn had been lying when she said something similar to her a few weeks prior in New York. No one would ever find out that she was lying when she said that. A former pregnant teen and possibly bisexual, that was the last thing Quinn needed.

"You know, I'm really glad you let Britt and me cut your hair. It looks really great," Santana said tucking a piece of those shorter golden locks behind Quinn's ear.

"Thanks."

"You're going to find a great guy this summer, okay? I'm going to make sure it happens," Santana said grabbing Quinn's hand and squeezing it.

"And you're going to get Brittany, okay? I'm going to make sure it happens," Quinn said squeezing Santana's hand back.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say Q."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't have six million author's notes today. I just want to know what you're thinking... as per usual.**


	19. Sudden Autumn Allergies

November 2014, New York City  
>Santana's Apartment in TriBeCa<p>

"So what's our weekly Saturday Afternoon Homework Session's soundtrack for today, DJ Slo-Pez?" Quinn asked as she unpacked her messenger bag and began organizing her work on the coffee table in Santana's living room.

"Umm... Adele's _21_. I know it's a few years old but it's a classic. It's one of those albums I can listen to without skipping any songs," Santana answered as she scrolled through her iPod.

"I feel like you listened to that non-stop Senior year," Quinn said with a little laugh as she found her place in T.S. Elliot's _The Wasteland_.

"Because I did," Santana laughed back, placing her iPod on its dock and pushing play.

"I'm sorry but can we please skip _Rolling in the Deep_? They played it so much three years ago that I'm still sick of it," Quinn whined. Santana sighed but turned around to change the song anyways.

For the last month Quinn and Santana had been spending their Saturday afternoons and evenings together. The afternoons consisted of homework and music chosen by Santana and the evenings consisted of a movie chosen by Quinn. In between was dinner cooked by both of them. Well, mostly Santana, but Quinn was learning.

Since the night that Quinn had dubbed Blackout Friday, the two hadn't seen each other very much, despite going to the same school every day. They had different majors so their paths rarely crossed. Quinn had also found a job hostessing at an upscale restaurant in Mid-Town and because she was the "new girl" she was stuck with the Friday night shifts, preventing her from going out with Santana, Kurt and Rachel. In mid-October, however, Quinn had received a text from Santana asking her if she wanted to have a Studying/Music/Movie session that Saturday and they've been doing it ever since. With the exception of one week when Santana's friend Berto came over to study for a midterm with Santana, it had been just the two of them.

Saturdays with Santana were Quinn's favorite part of the week. She couldn't wait to hop on the 1 train and ride it all the way from 116th St. all the way down to Chambers St. As she walked the three blocks from the station to Santana's building, she felt herself getting more and more excited for the time she was about to be spending with her friend.

This day was no different and as she sat on the floor with her 20th Century American Poetry homework, she could still feel her head buzzing. Every once in a while she'd look up from her book and see Santana sitting on the couch behind her, immersed in her gigantic Politcal Science text book. Her concentration might have been one of the sexiest things Quinn had ever seen, and she'd seen some pretty sexy things.

Every Saturday Quinn found it harder and harder to suppress the feelings that she had been developing for Santana since that day they found each other at The Strand. She didn't know if Santana even remotely felt the same way. Santana wasn't into straight girls and for all Santana knew, Quinn was a straight girl, at least that's what Quinn had lead her to believe three years ago. It was easier for Quinn to push these feelings away then, but now that she knew who she was, it was a lot more difficult.

"Hey Q?" Santana said poking Quinn's shoulder with her toe.

"Yeah," Quinn replied without taking her eyes off of her book.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Santana asked.

Quinn hadn't even thought about it. She wasn't going home, she knew that, which actually meant: "Nothing," she answered looking up to meet her friend's eyes.

"Really? You aren't going to go home?" Santana asked, looking a little surprised at Quinn's answer.

"Uh uh. Christmas will be plenty with the Fabray's," Quinn sighed and shivered a little at the mere thought of it.

"Well, umm... would you want to come here and spend it with me? My Tía and her wife will be here, too," Santana asked as she fiddled with the corner of the page her text book was opened to.

Quinn couldn't think of anything that could possibly be better than that. She smiled big and answered, "I'd love to."

Santana gave Quinn a smile that she'd never seen before. Well, maybe she had, but it was never directed at her. Nevertheless, it made Quinn feel like she was the most important person in the world.

"Great!," Santana said excitedly, "If you think I'm a good cook, wait until you taste Vicky's food."

"Well, now I better love it," Quinn giggled. Deciding that her butt had had enough of the floor, she stood up and then sat back down on the couch with Santana. Well, actually she was sitting on Santana. Quinn had completely forgotten that Santana was sitting with her legs stretched out along the couch, so Quinn had accidentally sat on them. Santana didn't move, though. "Sorry," Quinn said with a nervous giggle.

"It's okay, my feet were cold anyways," Santana said looking back down to her book. She looked back up, met Quinn's eyes and gave her a goofy grin.

Quinn was starting to get a little weirded out by it. Well, not entirely weirded out. She could tell that Santana was thinking about something and maybe even wanted to _say_ something. A smirk grew on her face and she asked, "What?"

Santana's smile grew a little wider and she said, "You should wear your glasses more often. They're cute." Her eyes lingered on Quinn for a moment and then found her book again. Out of reflex Quinn's fingers went straight to her glasses. She usually didn't wear them. Actually, she could almost say she never wore them. If it hadn't been for some sudden autumn allergies, she wouldn't have been wearing them today. Quinn had never been more thankful for histamines attacking her sinuses.

After a few minutes and a few pages, Santana yelled out in a frustrated tone, "I can't read anymore! I'm not in the mood to cook either. Can we just order a pizza and watch two movies instead?"

Quinn laughed at her friend's unnecessary frustration and said, "Sure, but you have to call."

"Fine, but if they fuck anything up, you're not allowed to get embarrassed when I call them back and scream at them," Santana said pointing a finger at Quinn.

"Deal."

"What movie did you bring?" Santana asked blindly reaching behind her to find her phone.

"Well, I only brought one because I wasn't expecting your mini-freak out," Quinn snarked. Santana grabbed a highlighter from her lap and tossed at Quinn. Luckily, she had thrown it with her right hand, so she missed. "_The Holiday_," Quinn answered Santana's question.

Putting her phone to ear, Santana scowled at Quinn over her choice in movie. "Hi... yeah I'd like to place an order for delivery... yup that's me... and that's my address... one large plain and a small order of buffalo wings with extra bleu cheese dressing... yup that's it... thanks."

"How long?"

"Thirty minutes. It usually takes less than that though, the place is across the street," Santana said shrugging her shoulders and then tossing her book onto the other couch in the living room.

"It's across the street? And you ordered delivery?" Quinn scoffed, slapping Santana's thigh.

"So I'm lazy in my old age," Santana said with a shrug and an eye roll.

Quinn shot up from the couch and grabbed her messenger bag from the coffee table. Pulling out a DVD case from the bag she said, "I'm putting the movie in and you're going to enjoy every minute of it's romantic goodness and then I'm finding something OnDemand that is just as mushy and you're going to appreciate that one just as much as the first one! Punishment for being lazy in your ripe old age of twenty!"

Santana didn't even respond, she just laughed as Quinn stomped over to the television and the DVD player at the other side of the room. Quinn loaded up the DVD player, pressed the power button on the TV and swiped the remote from the TV stand. She walked back to the couch and plopped herself back into her seat, this time without Santana's legs underneath her. Once the DVD menu popped up on the screen she pressed play, tossed the remote onto the coffee table and sat back with her arms crossed and a fake scowl on her face.

Twenty minutes after Quinn had started the movie, Santana's buzzer was going off. Immediately, Santana got up and ran to the other end of the apartment where it was located, yelling, "Don't pause it, I know what happens," and then she ran out the door.

Within a minute she was back with a pizza and buffalo wings. "Umm... can you like, clear your shit off the coffee table so I have a place to put this stuff?" Santana asked in a fake annoyed voice.

Quinn fake sighed back at her and threw all of her things back into her messenger bag, which she then threw onto the other couch with Santana's text book.

The two girls devoured the whole pie and all of the wings before the movie was even half over. Quinn completely regretted eating those last two slices and she leaned back into the couch groaning over her stomach's fullness. Santana threw herself back into the couch and rubbed her abdomen saying, "Too much pizza."

"I know," Quinn groaned and let herself lean to her right and into Santana, whose arm just so happened to be placed on the top of the couch. Quinn found herself a lot closer to Santana than she had intended, but she didn't want to move. This was exactly where she wanted to be, but it probably wasn't a good idea. Before she could lift herself back up, though, she felt Santana's arm drop around her shoulders.

"Movies were totally made for cuddling," Santana said when Quinn looked up to her with inquisitive eyes.

Quinn simply nodded at this statement and brought her attention back to the movie before Santana could see her face turn pink. Out of pure instinct, Quinn let her arm slide from the side of her body to Santana's leg. She opened her hand and let it rest on the other girl's knee. There was no protest, so Quinn left it there, happy with her decision. She glanced at the clock, 7:46, then directed her attention back to the movie.

At some point before the movie ended, Quinn had fallen asleep. She had fallen asleep with her head still resting on Santana's shoulder. At 1:16 in the morning, Quinn woke up. She was extremely groggy but she was awake, nonetheless. Opening her eyes, she was met with the DVD menu of _The Holiday_ and the time. After a few blinks, she realized that something was moving underneath her. It was Santana. Quinn didn't remember moving into this position. Santana was lying on her her back and Quinn was lying on her stomach with most of her body on top of Santana. Quinn could feel every breath Santana took and she found herself watching the other girl sleep. Well, until Santana also woke up. Quinn flinched a little, but realized she couldn't get up without hurting Santana somehow.

"Hey," Santana said rubbing her eyes with the hand that wasn't on Quinn's shoulder, "What time is it?"

Quinn looked back at the clock, swallowed and answered, "1:20... in the morning."

"What time did we fall asleep? And how did we get like this?" Santana asked slowly, looking down at their bodies.

"Umm... the last time I looked at the clock was 7:40-something and I really don't know," Quinn answered. She had figured Santana had put them in this position somehow... this was a little weird.

"We should probably get up and sleep in actual beds," Santana said with a yawn and another eye rub.

"Yeah, we probably should," Quinn said making no effort to get up.

Santana didn't move either.

Both girls stayed where they were and stared into each others eyes until they couldn't keep them open any longer. They drifted back to sleep and didn't wake up again until after the sun had creeped into the living room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Totally would have had this up sooner but A) I worked for two extra hours and B) My internet stopped working. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this one. Let me know because I love hearing from you all so much. Seriously, I get way too excited when I get a review email.**


	20. Ballsy

February 2014, New York City  
>That Gigantic Club Sonny Works At<p>

DJ Slo-Pez was a badass and Santana knew it. With her baggy men's skinny jeans, high top Air Forces, black tank top and fitted baseball cap, DJ Slo-Pez was Santana's internal butch, externalized. She and Sonny had planned this out a long time ago. It worked. Guys thought she was a bro and girls thought she was hot. _All_ of the girls thought she was hot. DJ Slo-Pez had girls throwing themselves at her. Santana, however, had decided she didn't want girls that wanted Slo-Pez. Her DJ persona was an exaggerated version of one little part of her and she didn't want a girl that decided she was attracted to that.

Yeah, she could have easily taken advantage of the situation and had a few one night stands, but she didn't think it was worth it. Rachel thought she was crazy, but Kurt and Sonny understood.

Tonight the section of the club that Sonny worked, was packed. Well, it was always packed, but tonight, Santana was definitely looking out on more heads than usual on the dance floor. She'd been at the table for about twenty minutes when Kurt came up to the booth with a drink for her.

"Thanks," Santana said and took a sip from the plastic cup filled with Jack Daniel's and Diet Coke.

"You're going to have to thank one of your admirers for that one," Kurt said into Santana's ear.

Santana immediately tried to hand the drink back to Kurt, "Take it back!" Kurt didn't make any attempt to take the drink from her. "Come on, Kurt! You know I don't put up with this shit! I _won't_ put up with this shit!"

"She said she knows you!" Kurt yelled to his friend.

"How?" Santana said not believing this girl for a second.

"She said she's in your European Union class! She pointed to Berto and said that he was, too," Kurt revealed.

"How did she know that _you_ knew me?" Santana turned her head slightly to the left noticing something in the music and said to Kurt, "Hold that thought, I have to switch tracks."

Santana turned around and worked her magic at the table. Flawlessly she shifted from one of her crazy mash-ups to another, keeping the crowd happy. She turned back to Kurt and re-asked him, "Okay how did she know that you know me?"

"She said she saw us walk in together, which we did. Trust me, S, I told her that you aren't into girls that are into Slo-Pez, but she said she was into you and that she had no idea that you did this," Kurt said shrugging his shoulders at the end.

Santana took her hat off and ran her fingers through her hair, thinking about what Kurt had just told her. She really wasn't sure if she believed this girl. She didn't even know who this girl could possibly be. Maybe she was telling the truth though. _'How terrible could it be to just meet the girl?'_ Santana asked herself, concluding that she might as well.

Sighing, Santana said to Kurt, "I should be done in like twenty minutes, tell her I'll meet her, but we aren't staying here too long after I finish. Shit gets too crazy if I stay down there too long."

"I know it does," Kurt yelled and turned to the door. Before walking out he yelled back to Santana, "She's cute!" and then walked out of the booth leaving Santana alone with DJ Slo-Pez.

...

Same Place  
>Thirty Minutes Later<p>

"Sorry!" Santana yelled when she finally got to Kurt, "This place is packed tonight!"

"Tell me about it! I can usually find Rachel and whatever man meat she's dancing with, but not tonight!" Kurt yelled back.

"So where's this girl?" Santana asked Kurt as she sat down on the stool he'd been guarding with his life. Not even two seconds after she'd asked, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Swinging around, she was met with a tall brunette in a tight, strapless, thigh-length, purple dress. Her legs lasted for days and ended at a pair of four-inch black pumps.

Santana recognized her. She sat in the seat in front of her and Berto in the lecture hall her European Union class was held in. Usually she wore glasses, her hair in a messy bun, jeans and t-shirts. Santana remembered thinking she liked that she was a little nerdy but kind of laid back. She did think she was cute. But now, with the dress, the heels, the contacts, her hair slightly tousled and cascading down her back, this girl was one of the hottest that Santana had ever seen.

"Hi, Santana," the girl that claimed she was into Santana and not DJ Slo-Pez said simply.

'_Shit! What's her name?' _"Hi," Santana said nervously, "I'm sorry, I don't..." she let her sentence trail off in embarrassment for not knowing this girl's name.

The other girl smiled, laughing a little, and said, "Hayley. It's okay, I only know your name because I asked your friend Berto a couple of weeks ago."

'_A couple of weeks ago, huh? Why didn't B tell me?' _"It's nice to officially meet you, Hayley," Santana said hoping the girl would come up with something to say because she was far too taken by her to formulate anything useful.

Taking a couple steps forward so that she was just barely invading Santana's personal space, Hayley said, "He also told me that I'd see you here tonight. I had no idea you were a DJ!"

"She makes all of her own mash-ups," Kurt added with a wink to Santana.

"Really? That's so cool. Wow, intelligent, sexy and talented. What can't you do?" Hayley leaned in say into Santana's ear.

'_Talk to really hot girls that smell amazing even in a hot, stifling club.'_ Santana simply shrugged one of her shoulders and smiled nervously.

"I'm going to guess there isn't much," Hayley husked into Santana's ear.

'_Okay, time to grow a pair.'_ "Hey, we're going to get out of here and go to the bar I work at, would you want to come with us?" Santana asked into Hayley's ear.

"Sure! It's too loud in here anyways!" Hayley answered with another smile that Santana was starting to really enjoy seeing.

"Ready to go?" Rachel came out of nowhere with a not-so-caveman like guy. Santana figured Rachel was on the hunt for an actual boyfriend tonight. This was the type of guy she only slept with if she had some sort of emotional connection with. Rachel was a little weird.

"Roll out!" Kurt sang the Ludacris song.

"Don't ever do that again," Rachel warned him.

...

Santana's Place of Employment  
>Two Hours Later<p>

"You're from Ohio?" Hayley asked with surprise.

"Guilty," Santana said playfully rolling her eyes.

"You poor thing," Hayley returned.

"It wasn't that bad," Santana said, clearly lying. Hayley gave her a 'really?' face and Santana responded, "Okay, it was pretty bad. Where are you from?"

"Boston," Hayley said as she traced circles on the top of the bar, millimeters from Santana's elbow.

"Do you miss it?" Santana said without taking her eyes off of the finger tracing circles near her arm.

"Sometimes. Mostly my family, but living in New York City beats living in Boston otherwise," Hayley answered turning her stool just enough so that her knee was touching Santana's.

Suddenly Santana felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She jumped a little when it happened because she was completely unprepared for a text message. Anyone that ever sends her messages were either with her, working, or sleeping. Figuring that it could possibly be important considering the time, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, apologized to Hayley and checked the message.

From Rachel:  
><strong>She is throwing herself at you! You! Santana! Tap that!<strong>

'_Seriously? This is one of those moments when I wish Rachel was still a virgin in the Celibacy Club,'_ Santana thought to herself, shaking her head.

"Something important?" Hayley asked stopping the circles she was making with her finger and letting her hand rest so that it was just barely touching Santana's elbow.

Santana hadn't been drinking. Aside from the Jack and Diet that Hayley had gotten for her, Santana hadn't had anything else to drink. She was completely sober when the thought of inviting this girl up to her apartment crossed her mind. She wasn't sure if she wanted to sleep with her, but she was sure wanted her to come upstairs. _'Here goes nothing,'_ "Umm... would you maybe want to come up to my place? I actually live above this place," Santana asked with a nervous laugh.

A small frown appeared on Hayley's face and Santana instantly regretted asking her to come up. She silently berated herself until she felt Hayley put her hand on her knee, "I'd love to, but I actually have to go back to my dorm. I have be at work at 8:30. Umm... can I see your phone?"

"Uh yeah, sure," Santana said handing Hayley her phone. She watched as the other girl tapped the screen a few times and then began tapping at it a little bit faster.

"Here," she said, handing Santana her phone back, "Call me. I had a really great time with you, tonight, Santana."

Smiling and staring into Hayley's dark blue eyes, Santana said, "Me too."

"Hey S, we're leaving!" Kurt called out from the door.

Thinking that Hayley really shouldn't try to find her way back to NYU completely by herself, Santana yelled out, "Wait for a minute, Hayley's leaving, too!"

"Okay," Kurt called back.

"So you don't have to go by yourself," Santana said turning back to Hayley who had just stood up off the stool.

"That was sweet," she said and kissed Santana's cheek. When she pulled her head back, she also pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and Santana felt her heart sink into her stomach. "Good night, Santana," Hayley said and then walked past her to the door.

After all of her friends had gone and she was up in her apartment, Santana received another text message:

From Rachel:  
><strong>You better have gotten that girl's number!<strong>

Santana rolled her eyes and typed out a response to her overzealous best friend.

To Rachel:  
><strong>I'm going to call her tomorrow.<strong>

From Rachel:  
><strong>Look at you getting ballsy with the ladies.<strong>

To Rachel:  
><strong>Shut it Berry.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I'm just going to throw this out there simply because I feel like it's necessary: The last five flashbacks (including that last Quinn one) are pretty much the most important. I know they cut into the story that you all _really_ care about, but they're totally necessary. I promise. ****I really do appreciate all of you guys! I'm really happy that you're sticking around to see how this all ends. There are eight chapters left after this one.**

**A/N 2: As usual, I love hearing from you!**


	21. Here, Let Me Help

November 2014, New York City  
>Santana's Turkey Day-ed Out Apartment<p>

As she did every Thanksgiving since moving to New York, Santana sat in the comfort of her own apartment and enjoyed the Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was the same as New Year's Eve, instead for that, she invited all of her friends to celebrate from the comfort of her apartment and watch the ball drop on her 57" flatscreen. It actually might be bigger on her television than it is in real life.

_Bzzzzzz Bzzzzzz_

Santana jumped up from her couch, as Snoopy dragged across her screen and ran to the other side of her apartment when her buzzer went off.

"Who is it?" she asked excitedly into its speaker as she pressed the talk button.

"Your favorite Aunts!" the speaker squawked back in her Tía's voice.

With a tinge of disappointment, she pressed the other button to buzz them up and unlocked her door. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't hoping it was someone else.

"Could we have a little bit of help!" she heard yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

With an aggravated sigh, Santana opened her door and walked down the stairs to help her aunts carry up the bags of food they brought for the day.

"Here let me help with those," came a voice from outside the entrance. Santana felt her heart skip when she heard it. In the last couple of months, Quinn's voice had become one of her most favorite sounds ever.

"Thank you!" Vicky said as she handed half of her bags to the blonde, "You must be Quinn."

Quinn smiled and Santana watched as her face went pink.

'_She's perfect.'_

"Are you going to take some of these or are you going to stare at your friend all day," Santana's aunt said, bursting her out of her haze and causing complete mortification to wash over her.

"Umm... yeah... sure. Sorry," Santana said grabbing the bags and as she got closer to her aunt she whispered, "Not cool, Tía. Please don't embarrass me today."

"Me? Embarrass you? Never," her aunt responded with a smirk that ran in the family and started up the stairs to Santana's apartment.

'_I'm totally fucked,'_ Santana thought to herself as she followed her aunt up the stairs. She also thought about how heavy the turkey that she was carrying was, "Jesus, how big is this bird?"

"Twenty-two pounds!" Vicky called out from behind her.

"What? Twenty-two pounds! Why? There are four of us!" Santana questioned, turning around when she got to the top of the stairs.

Both Vicky and Quinn were laughing at how Santana had reacted. Through her laughter, Vicky said, "You and Quinn can have turkey sandwiches for days." Finding this even more amusing, Vicky was thrown into an even bigger fit of laughter. Santana really didn't know what was going on. That wasn't even that funny.

"You know, I always thought you were the normal one, Vicky. You're really starting to disappoint me," Santana said and turned around to enter her apartment.

When Vicky and Quinn entered the apartment, Vicky said to Santana, "Don't worry, sweetie, I am still the normal one. Yesterday I caught this one," pointing over to her wife with her thumb, "biting her toenails." Both Santana and Quinn made gagging facing as Vicky continued, "I feel like after ten years of being together, nine of which living together, I would have witnessed this already."

"You caught me at a bad time," Santana's aunt deadpanned to her wife and the girls.

"Ten years ago that might have been a deal breaker. Although, I'm still a little on the fence about it now, I mean, you kiss me with that mouth."

"I could say something terribly embarrassing for you right now, but I'm going to spare the ears and minds of the youngins here," Santana's aunt said with a scowl. Santana feigned a gag and Quinn laughed silently to herself. Vicky's freckled cheeks turned an impossible shade of pink and in an effort to rescue her wife from the embarrassment she'd caused her, Santana's Tía directed attention to her niece, "Now, Tana, are you ever going to actually introduce us to your friend, or should we do it ourselves?"

Santana rolled her eyes at her bold aunt and turned to Quinn, "Quinn, this is my Tía, Rosa..."

Quinn extended her hand to Rosa and when she took it said, "It's really great to meet you..."

Santana continued, "And this is her wife, Vicky."

This time Vicky offered the handshake first and said, "It's a pleasure Quinn."

"Yeah, it's really great to put a face to the girl that Tana's been talking about for what, two months now?" Rosa said as she began unpacking the bags on the island.

'_Yup, totally and completely fucked.'_

"Is there anything I can help with?" Quinn asked enthusiastically as she helped Rosa unpack the bags.

"Well, Santana and I are going to do most of the cooking, so how about we say that the non-cookers do the clean-up?" Vicky said with a wink to Santana.

"I think I can handle that," Quinn answered. "Is the Parade on?" she asked turning to Santana.

"Yup."

"Great!" Quinn said and quickly turned around, leaving the kitchen.

"She's cute," Vicky said nudging Santana's ribs with her elbow.

"Please, don't embarrass me. Please try to remember what it's like to not have been with the right person for ten years. Both of you," Santana quietly pleaded with her aunts, looking between them.

"Oh, so you two aren't, like..." her Tía trailed off her question and linked her forefingers together.

"No we aren't," Santana huffed, "I don't even know if she likes me like that."

"Trust me, she likes you," Vicky said as she rapidly peeled potatoes.

"What?" Santana said in disbelief of her aunt.

"Oh yeah," Rosa added, "she looks at you like no one else in the room matters."

Santana really didn't believe her aunts. She figured they were just messing with her, since they usually think that messing with her is hilarious. This probably wasn't any different, "I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself," Rosa said, "I'm going to watch the parade with our friend Quinn."

...

Same Place  
>A Football Game and Two Hours later...<p>

"Why did you get a twenty pound turkey?" Santana groaned as she stretched out her full stomach.

"Twenty-two pounds," Quinn giggled out. Then, as if she just remembered that she was stuffed, grabbed at her belly and groaned, "Way too many mashed potatoes."

"I don't want to look at turkey for another year," Santana mumbled as she glanced over at the giant bird that looked like it barely went touched.

"You're going to find a million things to do with the stuff," Vicky said as she refolded her napkin, "Okay, time for clean up. Santana and I are going go kick back and relax in the living room."

"Regret agreeing to that?" Rosa leaned in and asked Quinn.

"Uh huh," Quinn groaned.

"Well, there's no time like the present. Get to it ladies," Vicky said, clapping her hands and getting up out of her seat. Santana laughed and followed her into the living room. Before she left the kitchen, she made sure to give Quinn a smile and mouth, "thank you" to her. The blonde smiled back and gave her shrug,

Santana sat down on the couch with her aunt Vicky and watched as she went through the cable guide, "I refuse to watch anymore football- Ooo Harry Potter!"

Laughing at her aunt, Santana turned her head to look into the kitchen and watched for a few moments as Quinn and her aunt went through cabinets looking for containers to put all of the left overs in.

"You really like her," Vicky said dragging Santana out of yet another Quinn induced haze.

"Shh, the kitchen is literally right there," Santana whispered back.

Vicky turned the television up and the magical battle became a little bit louder, "Well, are you ever going to tell her, or are you just going to stare at her all the time, wishing you could be with her?"

"I'm scared."

"Of what? Getting turned down?" Santana shrugged her shoulders, "We told you: she likes you. You need to have a little more confidence in yourself Santana. You're a great girl and I think Quinn knows that. You have to stop letting the past bring you down."

"Rachel said the same thing, only in a much more blunt fashion," Santana said.

"Well, if two people that you're very close to are telling you the same thing, do you think there might be some weight to it?" Vicky asked putting her hand on Santana's leg.

"I guess so," Santana said reluctantly.

"So, you're going to tell Quinn how you feel?" Vicky questioned with an encouraging squeeze to Santana's thigh.

"Telling someone that you're in love with them isn't the easiest thing in the world. I know, I've done it before," Santana said plopping her elbow onto the arm of the couch and resting her chin in her palm.

"Yeah, you're definitely right on that one, but if you tell the right person it's completely worth it," Vicky said shifting in her seat a little trying to make eye contact with her niece.

"I thought I _had_ found the right person," Santana mumbled, mostly to herself, but she knew her aunt had heard it.

Vicky let out a very audible sigh, "At the time you had. Hey, at least you can say you got the girl, even if it was for just a little. I was in love with my best friend in high school and when I told her, she dropped me like a ton of bricks. Trust me when I say I know how hard it is to get over your first love. I also know what it's like to lose your best friend. But, honey, look at your life now! You have what? A 3.9 GPA? You're a successful DJ. You have great friends and two aunts that love you very much. And you could possibly have a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend if you'd just get over yourself."

Santana turned her head to the kitchen on her aunt's last sentence and caught sight of Quinn and her Tía laughing about something. Seeing Quinn having a good time with the most important person in her life was really the icing on the cake for her. Maybe the risk would be worth it.

"You're never going to be able to forget Brittany," Vicky continued, "You shouldn't even try to forget her. She's an important part of who you are. I mean, you can't tell your coming out story without her. But you can't let her ruin your life. Things happen, we learn from them, move on and find something better. I think you might have found her," Vicky said indicating back towards the kitchen, "besides, she's definitely better than those other two girls you dated."

Santana let out a laugh and a sarcastic, "Thanks."

"Hey, can you keep a secret?" Vicky asked with her whisper a little lower than it was before.

"You are an Irish-Catholic-Lesbian, asking her gay-Latina-niece-by-marriage if she can keep a secret?" Santana snarked.

"Touché," Vicky responded and then didn't say anything.

With the anticipation of her aunt's secret murdering her, Santana finally asked after way too many seconds, "Well? What is it?"

Vicky took a deep breath, let it out and then whispered through a beaming smile, "I'm pregnant." Santana's eyes went wide with surprise and happiness for her aunts. She didn't even know they were trying to have a baby. "I haven't told your Tía, yet."

"I am so happy for you two!" Santana whispered excitedly as she wrapped her arms around Vicky, "When are you going to tell her?"

"Tonight. I know she should have been the first person I told, but I just couldn't hold it in any longer," Vicky whispered with a gigantic smile on her face.

Just then, another huge laugh came from Quinn and Rosa in the kitchen.

"Come on, let's go find out what's so funny," Vicky suggested as she got up from the couch. She grabbed Santana's hand, pulling her off of the couch and practically dragged the girl into the kitchen with her. "What is so hilarious that you are interrupting Harry Potter?" Vicky asked sarcastically.

"Oh just telling some embarrassing stories about Tana," Rosa said, looked at Quinn and they both started cracking up.

"What? Not cool Tíá!" Santana yelled at her aunt.

"Don't worry, I told some pretty funny stories about Vicky, too," Rosa said, kissing her wife's neck.

"I'm going to agree with Santana on this one: Not cool," Vicky pouted but replaced it with a smile and kissed Rosa.

"Ew, get a room," Santana sassed at them and then looked at Quinn who was still laughing silently. Seeing Quinn smile would always make Santana smile back.

"Actually, I think we are going to head out," Vicky said without taking her eyes off of her wife.

"Yeah, it's getting late," Rosa agreed as she looked Vicky up and down with _that_ look.

"Please do, you're grossing me out," Santana said indicating to the door.

Gathering up the leftovers they were taking home, Rosa said directly to her niece through a sly grin, "We did get a room and trust me, we plan on using it to its full potential."

"Oh god! Get out! I love you both but please get out!" Santana said pushing them towards the door.

"It was wonderful to meet you, Quinn," Vicky said as she walked over to give her a hug.

"I'm really glad that I came," Santana heard Quinn answer as she hugged her Tía goodbye.

After those hugs were broken Quinn and Santana switched positions and began their goodbye hugs with the other departing aunt. As she hugged Vicky, Santana whispered, "Thank you," to her.

Vicky squeezed her extra tight and whispered in return, "Anytime, sweetheart."

With a promise to call Santana when they got back to their home in Massachusetts, Rosa and Vicky headed out for their hotel in mid-town, hand-in-hand.

"They do that every time they visit," Santana said with a sigh after she had closed and locked her door.

"I think it's cute," Quinn replied with a smile, "it's nice to see a couple that's been together for a long time still so in love... and lust."

Sighing again, Santana said, "I think it's cute, too, but it's a lot more fun to give them shit about it."

Quinn laughed as she began putting on her messenger bag. Sensing that this meant Quinn was getting ready to leave, Santana began to panic. She didn't want Quinn to leave, so she spit out the first thing that came to her mind, "You don't have to leave!" Quinn looked up at Santana with her eyes wide and an adorable half grin. The look that Quinn was giving Santana caused her stomach flutter and all she could think of to say was, "We could watch a movie or something."

Quinn's grin grew to full size and she took her messenger bag off, placing it on the floor next to the island. She looked back up to Santana with her hazel eyes and asked, "Can we cuddle?"

The butterflies that were already fluttering in Santana's stomach felt like they were trying flap their way out, up into her chest, and out her throat. Of course they could cuddle! She wanted to be cool and confident and she quickly wracked her brain for something creative and smooth to say. Then it hit her, "That's what movies were made for, right?"

Maybe this night would end up as great as the last time they cuddled on the couch together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just let me know what you think!**


	22. The Lesson

July 2009, Lima, Ohio  
>Santana's Bedroom<p>

"You do realize that you make no sense whatsoever, right?" Quinn said in disbelief of her friend.

"Are you kidding me? This makes perfect sense, Q! It is so not cheating," Santana said defiantly back.

"Making out with someone that _isn't_ your boyfriend is totally cheating, Santana," Quinn said crossing her arms over chest.

"Uh uh, making out with a _boy_ that isn't your boyfriend is totally cheating. Girls are different," Santana said with an eye roll and a head shake. "Besides, Finn would think it was totally hot that his girlfriend was making out with another girl."

With a sigh, Quinn responded, "It's not a good idea, Santana."

Santana put on the devious smirk that Quinn had gotten to know very well over the past five months. Then, the Latina said, "Fine. But just so you know, I was going to teach you a trick that makes guys go nuts."

Santana looked Quinn up and down with her bottom lip pulled between her teeth and Quinn felt all of her resolve fade away, "Well, if you're just going to be teaching me something..."

"Uh uh, you made your decision, Q. None of my soft, lady lips for you," Santana said and then sent her tongue around her lips.

All of Quinn's attention went directly to Santana's lips. They were full and had a natural pout. Suddenly she wanted nothing more than to feel them on her own lips. She really wanted to know what that thing she was going to teach her felt like. "Please, teach me?" Quinn asked with a pout.

Santana smiled her devious smirk, leaned in towards Quinn a little, and said, "Well, since you asked so nicely..." she continued leaning in and let her lips lightly meet with Quinn's.

Just that small amount of contact made Quinn's stomach flutter. _'This feeling has to be cheating!'_ she thought, _'But-' _ she felt Santana push her lips into her's a little harder, parting them slightly so that Quinn's bottom lip was in between both of hers, _'oh god, this feels too good to stop. Besides, I need to learn-'_ she then felt her bottom lip being sucked gently until it was in between Santana's teeth _'the trick.'_ Santana dragged her teeth across Quinn's bottom lip and Quinn suddenly began to feel something far beyond the butterflies in her stomach.

Then it was over. It took Quinn several seconds to open her eyes back up and when she did Santana said through a grin, "Looks like that drives you nuts, too. I usually do it a little faster on guys."

Through her racing heart, Quinn asked, "Can I try it?"

To be completely honest: she just wanted to kiss Santana again.

"I'm not going to stop you."

They were sitting crossed legged across from each other on Santana's bed and as Quinn leaned forward to try her hand at Santana's trick, she had to place her hands on Santana's knees to keep herself from falling forward. She licked her lips just before she found Santana's with them. She started off soft just like Santana had and then she parted her lips a little taking the other girl's bottom lip in between hers. Now, it was time for the trick. She opened her mouth a little bit more and began sucking on Santana's lip. Quinn sucked until she felt it at her teeth and as swiftly as she could, she took it between her teeth and pulled her head away slowly letting Santana's lip pop back into place.

Quinn bit her bottom lip at the sight in front of her. Santana's eyes were still closed and she could tell the other girl was breathing a little funny. Finally, Santana opened her eyes and muttered, "Yeah... that was... about right."

'_This is so wrong.'_

"Wanna practice some more?" Santana asked through her devious smile after a few more moments.

'_This is totally wrong,'_ Quinn thought as she nodded her head in a 'yes' and let Santana lean in and kiss her again. It was a little more forceful this time, but Quinn really didn't mind. She actually moaned a little bit when their lips met for the third time. When Santana slid her tongue along Quinn's bottom lip, the blonde opened her mouth allowing Santana inside of it. Quinn moaned again when she felt Santana's pointed tongue lick up the bottom of her own.

It wasn't long before Quinn found herself lying down with Santana partially on top of her. By now, Quinn was well aware that they weren't "practicing" anymore and she was definitely cheating on her boyfriend. She wouldn't say that making out with Santana was better than making out with Finn, but it was definitely different and she definitely liked it.

Quinn let one of her hands slide underneath Santana's t-shirt. The skin on her back was so soft and she hummed a little when her fingers first felt it. She moaned when she felt Santana's hand land on the inside of her thigh. She moaned a little louder when she felt it slide up... and up... and... "What are you doing?"

"It sounded like you liked it," Santana purred and kept her hand at the spot where Quinn's thigh met her hip.

Looking into Santana's eyes, Quinn could tell that they were even darker than usual. Caught off guard she began to say, "I did... I mean, until you..."

"Did this?" Santana said and then swiped her finger up Quinn, over her underwear. "You know, it feels like you really like this," Santana said through her smirk.

Rationalizing, Quinn responded, "It's a sexual scenario, I'm sure you're in a similar state."

At that, Santana took the hand that was on Quinn's thigh and shoved it into her own shorts. She drew her hand back, pointing up her index finger. "Yup," she said and put the glistening finger tip into her mouth. After pulling her finger out of her mouth, she said, "We can fix this, you know?"

This would be where Quinn had to draw the line. Making out was one thing, but _sex_? She couldn't consciously say no to Finn and then have sex with Santana. "I can't do that."

"Oh come on Q! It's not like it's _real _sex_. _We'd just be doing things that you do to yourself, just to each other," Santana said rather convincingly even though Quinn had no idea what she was talking about.

"Things that you do to yourself?" Quinn questioned with a clueless expression.

"Yeah," Santana said with her 'duh' face, then her eyes grew wide and she said, "Wait! You've never..." Quinn quirked up an inquisitive eyebrow, "Oh my god! You've never gotten yourself off before?"

"Huh?" Quinn responded still not knowing what the other girl was talking about.

"Oh, my god," Santana laughed a little, "you've never masturbated."

"Ew no!" Quinn said, sitting up from underneath Santana. She didn't even know girls could do that, "Wait, girls can do that?"

"Ummm... yeah. You need to get yourself out of church more often," Santana scoffed and rolled onto her back. She rolled quickly back onto her side, propping her head up with her hand and added, "And it isn't gross. Trust me. You get over it when you feel the results."

Quinn wished she wasn't so curious. Nervously she asked, "Ummm... how do you... do it?"

That smirk grew on Santana's face again and she said, "I could teach you."

Strangely intrigued, Quinn said before she could stop herself, "Okay."

"Okay, but you have to do what I tell you and not be shy about it," Santana said quickly.

"Wait, I don't have to get naked or anything for this do I?" Quinn said suddenly extremely panicked.

"Chill Q! You can keep your clothes on! I'm just saying that you can't get all shy when I tell you to put you hand in your underwear."

"Oh," Quinn replied, slightly relieved.

"Now put your hand in your underwear."

"Oh," Quinn said again, complying with Santana's request.

"Okay, now slide a finger or two in between your... you know," Santana shrugged.

"In between-" Quinn started and Santana shot her hand out, pushing down Quinn's fingers, "Oh!" Quinn moaned.

"Now, feel for a little bump. It's probably a little pointy," Santana said with a grin.

"I... think I found it... already," Quinn panted out, still recovering from Santana's sneak attack that sent Quinn's fingers directly into her clit, sending a jolt through her body.

"Now do whatever feels good to it," Santana whispered into Quinn's ear.

Quinn closed her eyes and started moving her finger around the little pointy bump that Santana had introduced her to. "It's really wet," Quinn stated. It was just a statement of fact.

"Mhm," Santana hummed in a pitch a little higher than was usual for her, "Me too."

Quinn opened her eyes and turned her head to see that Santana also had her hand in her shorts, "Santana?"

The other girl opened her eyes and said, "Well, why should you have all the fun?" It actually didn't sound devious. Quinn couldn't describe what it sounded like, but she was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to kiss Santana.

In that moment, Quinn's brain lost its battle with Quinn's body. She drew her hand out from her underwear and moved herself over on the bed, closer to Santana. Upon hearing a soft moan release from the other girl's throat, Quinn threw a leg over Santana's so that she was straddling it. Another soft moan elicited from the darker girl as Quinn's thigh pushed into her.

Finally opening her eyes, Santana looked directly into Quinn's and asked in a much huskier tone than usual, "What are you doing?"

"I don't know," Quinn answered, staring back at the girl underneath her and then following her overwhelming instinct to kiss her. She let herself fall forward, landing on her left hand and hovered over Santana, taking her in. Every time Santana's hand completed a circle, her face would make the slightest contortion. Her nostrils flared slightly and her eyes briefly widened. Quinn felt herself getting more aroused with each of Santana's circles. Before she sent her head forward the four inches to Santana's lips, Quinn snaked her hand in between herself and the other girl, finding her own clit again.

Quinn moaned at her own touch into Santana's lips. She wanted more. Parting her lips, she sucked Santana's bottom lip in between her teeth and dragged them across it. The look on Santana's face was the most unbelievable thing Quinn had ever seen. She knew she wasn't the sole reason for it appearing, but she was completely aware that she was helping. Out of pure instinct, Quinn pressed her thigh into Santana. The Latina let out whimper and as Quinn lifted her thigh a little, Santana's body stiffened. Her eyes snapped shut and she grabbed at Quinn's neck, pulling her into a hard, deep kiss.

Both out of breath, the two girls broke out of the kiss and Quinn watched as Santana's chest heaved. After a few seconds, Santana pulled her hand out from her underwear and before Quinn even knew what was happening, Santana had switched the girls' positions.

"You're a terrible student," Santana said with a hungry look in her eyes. "Start moving your hand," she demanded as she lowered herself down and started kissing Quinn's neck, "or I'll leave a mark."

Instantly, Quinn's fingers began gliding over her clit. At the same time, Santana's lips found a spot just underneath Quinn's ear that magnified the sensation she was creating by herself between her legs. With more stimulation happening than Quinn was used to, her brain became mush. She just let things just fall out of her mouth like, "Touch me."

"Where?" Santana husked into her ear.

Quinn could only thing of one place:

"Everywhere."

She felt Santana's smirk on her neck and then moistened lips. A hand inched up the skin on her abdomen and teased the base of her bra. The same hand then slid over her bra's fabric and just as fingers met with a hard nipple, Quinn's finger found a particularly sensitive spot. She pressed her finger to it and began moving her hand up and down. A hum escaped her throat as she did this.

"Find something?" Santana whispered into Quinn's ear.

"Mhm," Quinn nodded in response and began quicker motions. She didn't know if this was right but it felt good and it was getting bigger and better with ever motion. By now Quinn was panting and Santana's hand had wandered down to her ass. With one tight squeeze and one last swipe, it happened. At least Quinn thought it had.

"Fuck!" flew out of her mouth as what she could only describe as fireworks exploded throughout every inch of her body. It quickly became too much for her to handle and she yanked her hand out of her underwear.

"Was... that... it?" Quinn panted.

"It sure as hell looked like it," Santana said as she settled herself next to Quinn, "Your eyes rolled back into your head and your mouth popped open. Not gonna lie Q, it was pretty hot."

The realization of what just happened, smacked Quinn right in the face. _'I just masturbated for the first time in my life, underneath Santana Lopez. I practically just had sex with Santana Lopez... a girl... a really pretty girl... A GIRL... oh, she has beautiful eyes- SHUT UP! You have a boyfriend, that you think is very attractive and would totally have sex with if you hadn't promised to save yourself for marriage... right? Oh god, I should get out of here.'_

Quinn imagined a ploy to leave as quickly as she could, "Oh my god! What time is it?"

"Ummm... 4:30. Why?"

"Crap! My Mom is going to kill me!" No she isn't.

"Call her and tell her you're having dinner with your friends Santana and Brittany. She should be here soon by the way," Santana said as she swiped a lone finger up the inside of Quinn's thigh.

'_Oh that feels so goo- OH NO!'_ Quinn jumped out of the bed yelling, "I really can't! I promised my Mom I'd be home at 5:00 and I have to walk!"

"Fine. Suit yourself, Q. It's your loss," Santana said with her smirk and a little head tilt.

"See you at camp tomorrow," Quinn said and then turned out the door. She walked down the stairs and pushed through the front door into the fresh air. After taking a deep breath, Quinn began her walk home with thoughts racing through her confused brain.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Look at this! A nice early update! For some reason I woke up at 7:30 in the morning so I decided to do this.**

**A/N 2: So, what did you think of this one?**


	23. Whether You Like It or Not

December 2014, New York City  
>That Café in Union Square<p>

"Hey, Q, sorry I'm late!"

"It's okay," Quinn said as she hugged her dear friend Kurt.

Since the night they all went to the club together, Quinn and Kurt had been meeting for coffee on a weekly basis. Every Thursday, Quinn would get out of her her last class and walk up to Union Square. She'd spend about thirty minutes in The Strand picking out a new book and then meet Kurt in the café Santana had introduced her to. Every time she walked in there she thought of Santana. This place made her happy.

"So, how are your finals going?" Kurt asked as he removed his disgustingly fashionable wool coat and draped it over his chair.

"Fine. I actually don't have that many, it's mostly papers, but those take forever," Quinn said with a sigh.

"Hey guys, what can I get for you?" the hipster server asked them.

"Just an apple tea, please," Quinn answered.

"And you?"

"Half coffee/half cocoa?" Kurt answered as if he were asking.

"Sure! I'll have those out in a minute," he said excitedly and turned back towards the front counter.

"Did I sound like an idiot?" Kurt whispered to Quinn.

"You said all of four words," Quinn said with her eyebrow quirked.

"I know but I didn't like squeak or anything, did I?" Kurt said nervously.

"No. Kurt, why don't you just give him your number?" Quinn said if that were the easiest thing in the world.

"I don't even know if he's gay! Hipster guys are so hard to read!" Kurt said leaning back in the chair and letting his head smack into the cushion.

"I have an idea," Quinn said. Kurt perked his head up a little to listen, "Ask him a fashion question about like, shoes or something."

"That isn't foolproof. Not all gay guys are into women's fashion," Kurt deadpanned.

Just then the waiter began making his way back to the two of them with their drinks.

"Well, it's now or never, Kurt. Think of that question," Quinn poked.

"Here you guys go. An apple tea and a half coffee/half cocoa," the waiter said as he put the drinks down. Then he directed his attention up to Kurt and said, "I meant to mention this before, but I love your jacket. It's so McQueen. Where'd you get it?"

"Uuuuh... I designed it myself," Kurt gulped out.

"Oh. Wow, you're really talented. Hey, you guys come in here every week don't you?" he said pointing his pen at them.

"Yeah we do!" Quinn jumped in, "I'm Quinn and this is Kurt."

"Well, it is certainly a pleasure to put names to familiar faces. It's nice to meet you Quinn... and Kurt. I'm Seth," he said directly to Kurt.

"Hi," Kurt said meekly.

"Umm... I have to go to my other tables but I'll come check on you two later, okay?"

"Okay," Kurt said all dreamily.

Seth smiled and turned around. When he was out of earshot, Quinn smacked Kurt's knee and teased, "You can put your tongue back in your mouth now."

"Shut up! Remember that time in the club and you looked like you were eye-fucking Santana from across the dance floor?" Kurt snapped back at Quinn.

"And you called me out on it?" Quinn said with a tilt of her head and an 'oh really?' look.

"Okay so I did deserve that," Kurt acquiesced, "Speaking of, how is that?"

"How's what?" Quinn asked, knowing full well what Kurt was talking about.

"Do not play stupid with me," Kurt said with a finger, "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Quinn gave in with a sigh and plopped her chin into her hand, "I haven't seen her since the day after Thanksgiving. We've barely even talked."

"How come?"

"We haven't had time! We were spending every Saturday together but then I had to cover for someone at work and it turned into a weekly thing. It sucks," Quinn said leaning back into the chair with a huff.

"Why don't you try to make plans with her?" Kurt suggested.

"We have! She has all of these major finals that she has to study for and a bunch of papers to write. I guess she needs to be alone to concentrate on them or something," Quinn huffed.

"When are you going home?"

"Saturday," Quinn frowned, "morning."

"And coming back...?"

"The Thirtieth," Quinn said and then began chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"WHAT? WHY?"

"It was a compromise. I didn't come home for Thanksgiving so I had to come back for a long Christmas. Luckily, I'll be back for Santana's New Year's party," Quinn sighed. She was really getting quite depressed. She went from not seeing Santana, to seeing her every single Saturday, to not seeing her again. It was like she was having withdrawals.

"God, are you ever going to tell her how you feel about her?" Kurt asked completely out of nowhere.

Quinn just sat there like a deer in head lights. Of course she'd thought about telling Santana how she felt, but every time she did she thought back to Puck's party three years ago. She really didn't want to be rejected by Santana. Again.

"I'm afraid to, okay," Quinn admitted as if she was being badgered by Kurt.

Suddenly taking up the role of therapist, Kurt asked, "Why are you afraid?"

"Because of something I said to her at Nationals Junior year," Quinn admitted through a sigh.

"What did you say?" Kurt asked, obviously curious.

Quinn sighed again, "Well, remember when she cut my hair?" Kurt nodded, "Well I was going to rat you and Rachel out for sneaking around the city so we'd get disqualified and Santana stopped me. Then I went on this whole rant about how we're supposed to be the popular girls and we're supposed to have everything we want. And Santana said something like, 'I know exactly the thing to cheer you up,' and then me all head in the gutter said 'I'm flattered, Santana, but I'm really not that into that,' _that_ being sex with girls."

"So...?"

"So? So, Santana thinks that I don't like sleeping with girls which is totally untrue! I love sleeping with girls... and guys, but right now there's only person that I want to sleep with and she thinks I'm straight!" Quinn said quickly and at a volume that surprised Kurt.

"But if you tell her that you like her she won't think that anymore," Kurt said trying to calm her down.

"But when I kissed her at Puck's end of the year party she stopped it and told me she wasn't into straight girls. What if she turns me down when I tell her that I-"

Quinn's rant was halted by Kurt's hand on her mouth, "Please stop. You sound like a crazy person. You are thinking about this waaaay too much here," Kurt paused and let out a deep sigh, then continued, "What if I told you I knew for a fact that Santana had feelings for you?"

With Kurt's hand still over her mouth, all Quinn could do was open her eyes wide with shock. _'What?'_

"Oh sorry," Kurt said as took his hand off of Quinn's mouth.

"What?" Quinn asked with the same look of shock on her face.

"I live with her best friend. If anyone knows, it's her. Rachel knows Santana better than Santana does. The verbal confirmation from Santana helped, too," Kurt revealed.

Quinn could not believe what she was hearing. Suddenly, it sucked even more that she wasn't going to see Santana until her party on New Year's Eve.

"So, still afraid to tell her?"

She totally was, "Yes!"

"What? Why?" Kurt scoffed.

"Now I don't know what to say to her! Telling someone that you have feelings for them is never easy! It's even harder when you're going to tell them that you're in love with them..." Quinn said that last sentence without really thinking about it. It was the first time she'd said it out loud. She was in love with Santana. They hadn't even kissed, well not since high school, but she knew she was in love with her.

"Wow, that's news," Kurt said with all of his surprise, "When did we figure this out?"

Quinn knew the exact moment, "Thanksgiving."

Quinn was in the kitchen with Rosa and Santana was in the living room talking to Vicky. Rosa was mostly telling stories about Santana when she was little and Rosa lived in Ohio and stories about things she and Vicky used to do when they were Quinn and Santana's age. She also talked about how proud she was of Santana. How she'd come out to her parents and was making something of herself. When Quinn looked out to the living room while Rosa was saying these things, she watched as Santana got really excited about something Vicky had said to her and then threw her arms around her aunt. She was so happy and beautiful. It just hit her. Quinn was a goner.

"Family time get to you?" Kurt asked through an affected gaze.

"Mhm," Quinn hummed in response.

'_And the movie cuddling. And the cuddling in Santana's bed...'_

"How are you two doing?" Seth came back asking.

"Great!" Kurt answered quickly.

"Excellent. Can I get you guys anything else or do you want the check?" Seth asked through a sweet smile.

"I'm good," Quinn said softly, still in her daze.

"Umm... the check is fine, but could I have some water? Tap is fine," Kurt asked through a slight blush.

"Of course," Seth answered, "I'll be back with both of those."

"Give him your number," Quinn said to her friend when she finally came back down from her memory high.

Kurt simply rolled his eyes and said, "When you tell Santana how you feel."

"Totally different," Quinn said crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw Seth coming back to the table and indicated towards him with her head.

"Your water and the check," he said setting the water down and pulling a half check folder out of his apron pocket. He placed it face down on the table and said, "Whenever you guys are ready. Take your time." He gave a quick glance at Kurt and turned back around.

That little glance left Kurt slightly catatonic. Quinn rolled her eyes and reached for the check. She turned it over and then smacked Kurt's leg.

"Mmm?" Kurt hummed.

"Look," Quinn said as she turned the pocketed leather check holder over, flashing a ten digit number to Kurt. His eyes grew wide and he snatched the check out of Quinn's fingers.

"Wait, what if this is for you?" Kurt asked with hint of panic.

Quinn rolled her eyes again and said, "Put the number in your phone and let's pay for this."

They both got up and put their coats and bags on. Then Quinn watched as Kurt entered the name Seth and the phone number into his phone. She took the bill from him and said, "This is on me today," she shrugged, "it's a thank you."

Kurt smiled and offered his arm to Quinn. She threaded her arm through his and they walked together to the cash register. Seth was there.

"All set?"

"Yup," Quinn answered as she handed him a ten and the receipt upside down. She had written, 'Who is this for?' underneath the number he had written.

"Did you get my note?" Seth asked making eye contact with Kurt.

Kurt smiled and nodded to the waiter.

"Great. See you two next week?"

"Actually we're both going home for the holiday," Quinn answered.

"Oh... well... ummm... call me when you get back?" Seth said with a smile to Kurt.

"Okay," Kurt responded rather breathlessly.

"Keep the change," Quinn said when Seth tried to hand her back her change, "see you in a couple weeks."

"Maybe sooner," Seth said as Quinn pulled Kurt away from the counter and towards the door.

"Maybe!" Kurt called back as he and Quinn walked out the door into the abnormally cold outdoors.

"Now it's your turn," Kurt said as they walked toward the subway together, "and I have a plan for you."

"A plan for what?"

"For you to tell Santana that you're in love with her. It's happening New Year's whether you like it or not."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, how are you today? I want to just thank everyone again. You're all really quite wonderful. Okay well, I hope you have a wonderful day/night (you know, depending upon when you read this and where on the Earth you reside). As always, I would _love_ to hear from you!**


	24. Pride

June 2014, New York City  
>A Cozy Single NYU Dorm Room<p>

"Whatcha doin'?" the tall brunette asked leaning into her girlfriend who was sitting on the end of her bed deep in concentration with her lap top in front of her and headphones on her ears.

Without looking up from the screen, Santana answered, "Mixing some new stuff for the Pride event that Sonny and I were invited to work."

"Oh, so you _can_ hear me?"

"When you're basically on top of me and I'm not playing anything back, yes, I can hear you," Santana answered, looking away from the screen and quirking her eyebrows up.

"So, when I tell you that I think you look really hot right now, you can hear me?" the brunette asked, punctuating her question with a kiss to Santana's neck.

Santana bit her lip at the contact, but turned her head to say to the other girl, "Come on Hayley, this is important! Pride's in a week."

Lifting one of Santana's headphones off of her ear, Hayley asked in her most sensual voice, "How important?"

Usually this wouldn't get to Santana, but add in a pointed tongue lightly making its way up the side of her ear and any resolve she might have had, was gone. With a gulp, Santana answered, "Very..."

"Mhm," Hayley hummed as she nibbled on Santana's ear. When Santana moved her hands away from her lap top to grab at the blanket they were sitting on top of, Hayley reached out and closed it, causing the MacBook to go to sleep. She picked the lap top up and gingerly placed it the desk located at the foot of her bed. As she did that, she gracefully swung her leg over both of Santana's, straddling them. Hayley removed Santana's headphones as she leaned in to place a kiss on her girlfriend's lips. She ended the kiss with a nip at Santana's lower lip and without taking her eyes off of her, set the headphones down on top of the lap top.

Santana just sat there watching it all unfold on top of her and when it was all done and Hayley was simply sitting back on her lap with a lusty look in her dark blue eyes, she said, "You know, if you weren't so sexy, I wouldn't have let you do that."

"You think I'm sexy, huh?" Hayley asked as she dragged her index finger up Santana's abdomen, lifting up her shirt in the process.

"I'm pretty sure I've told you this before," Santana said as she lightly ran her fingers up Hayley's bare thighs, "I mean, you're wearing booty shorts and an itty bitty tank top..."

"And glasses..." Hayley breathed out with a laugh.

"That's my favorite part," Santana said with a smirk, pulling the brunette into her more.

"Did you just admit to a fetish?" Hayley asked in a teasing tone as she ran her hands up Santana's back and settled her fingers under her bra.

Shrugging her shoulders, Santana simply answered, "Maybe."

"And here I've been putting contacts in my eyes since February, thinking you liked it."

"I do," Santana replied, then swiftly shifted their positions so that Hayley was now on her back with Santana between her legs, "but your glasses make you almost impossible to resist." She lowered herself down a little and licked up Hayley's neck to her ear, causing her pelvis to thrust into the girl underneath her.

"Almost?" Hayley moaned out.

"Well, you can't always get what you want. I can't have you thinking I'm easy," Santana teased, rolling her hips into the brunette.

With a whimper, Hayley responded, "I'm getting what I want right now." She inched her fingers up Santana's back and dragged her finger tips back down it.

"Oh yeah?" Santana asked as she leaned back and lightly dragged her nails up Hayley's thigh.

"Oh yeah," Hayley moaned as Santana's fingers made their way into her shorts teased at her lips.

"These should probably come off, they're getting destroyed due to your lack of underwear," Santana said as she tugged at the waistband of Hayley's tiny shorts and pulled them off as Hayley lifted her legs up. When she brought her legs back down, Hayley reached out and yanked Santana's t-shirt off leaving her in her bra.

"Red is definitely your color," Hayley said and bit her lip.

"Wanna know what my favorite color on you is?"

"What?"

"Come here and I'll tell you."

Hayley sighed but sat up anyways. Santana leaned in as if she was going to whisper into her ear, but instead, grabbed the hem of Hayley's tank top and yanked it up over her head. With a smirk, Santana said, "Naked," and then pushed Hayley back down onto the bed.

"I'm regretting not wearing a bra," the brunette scoffed.

"You'll change your mind in a second," Santana said and then lowered herself down to her girlfriend's chest. She licked her lips then kissed a trail down the valley of Hayley's breasts. As she brought her hand up to one, she kissed over to the other one and as she rolled one nipple in between her thumb and forefinger, she sucked the other one into her mouth, letting it pop back out with smack.

"Mmmmm."

Santana licked a circle around the brunette's nipple and then kissed her way over to the other one. She repeated the process and smirked as Hayley writhed underneath her, lifting her hips, attempting to get even the littlest amount of friction.

"Someone's impatient," Santana said lifting her head and looking into eyes that were no longer blue.

"Someone is way too good at teasing," Hayley growled back.

At that, Santana lowered herself down the bed a little and then lifted Hayley's legs up so that her ass was off the bed and Santana's arms were wrapped around her thighs. A gasp escaped Hayley's lungs as the first swipe of Santana's tongue slipped through her lips.

"You are soaked," Santana husked and then put her tongue back to work. She worked it in a zig zag pattern from her entrance to her clit. She traced a circle around her clit when she got to it, then wrapped her lips around the little bud and sucked.

"FUCK!"

"Your residents are going to know their RA is having sex," Santana teased after she released Hayley's clit.

"They... should get... lives... it's the... fuck... summer," Hayley panted out as Santana sucked her clit back between her lips and licked tiny circles into it, "Oh... my god!"

Santana released her hold on Hayley's clit with a pop, causing her hips to jerk a little. Had Santana not been holding them down, they would have bucked and she wouldn't have been able to immediately roll her tongue around the bundle of nerves. Hayley's fists slammed into the mattress at her sides so hard that both girls bounced a little, causing Santana's tongue to slip and Hayley's hips to jerk a little harder than the last time.

"Uh! Fuck! Santana!"

Releasing the grip one of her arms had on Hayley's thigh, Santana brought it back around in front of herself and began teasing the nerves that resided at Hayley's entrance with her first two fingers.

"Mhm," Hayley hummed and inched her hips even closer to Santana.

With a tiny smirk and a pause of her tongue's movements, Santana entered Hayley with the fingers that were teasing her. Her hips bucked instantly as Santana immediately found her G-spot. Simultaneously, she curled her fingers up into the extra sensitive spot and restarted her tongue, licking patterns into Hayley's clit. Hearing Hayley's panting getting faster, Santana picked up her pace, keeping her fingers curled up.

"Uh huh... fuck... right there... yes... I'm gonna... oh my god I love you!"

'_What?'_

All movement ceased at those three words.

Santana was not ready to hear them.

"Hey! I was so cl- what are you doing?" Hayley asked as she watched Santana pull her shirt over her head.

"I'm sorry... I just... I..." Santana grasped for anything to say but couldn't find it. Truth was, she didn't know what was going on, she just knew that she needed to get out of the tiny dorm room. She grabbed her bag then shoved her lap top and headphones in it and said, "I have to go!"

"Wait! Santana, what's wrong?" Hayley asked frantically trying to wrap her extra blanket around herself and get off of the bed.

"I... I can't be here," Santana said without looking up from her bag. She turned as quickly as she could and grabbed the door knob. Before she could open it, Hayley was up and holding onto her wrist.

"Please tell me what's wrong. Is it because I said 'I love you?'" Santana could see tears building in her dark blue eyes, "Well, I meant it."

'_Oh god, I need to get out of here.'_

"Please don't leave."

Santana swallowed hard and said quietly, "Please let me go."

"Fine," Hayley huffed and threw Santana's arm down. She turned around and let her head fall down into her hands. Because she hadn't the slightest idea of what to say, all Santana did was open the door and walk out.

The moment her feet hit the sidewalk outside of Hayley's building, she called Rachel.

"Are you home?"

"Yeah, wh-"

"Don't go anywhere, I'm coming over!"

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when I get there, I'm running into the subway now."

"Okay, but I have-"

Santana hung up on Rachel before she finished her sentence. She would have lost reception in a few seconds anyways because she was descending the steps into the subway rapidly.

...

Thirty Minutes Later  
>Rachel and Kurt's Hell's Kitchen Apartment<p>

"What the hell, Santana?" Rachel roared when she opened her door.

Santana pushed her way into the apartment and immediately settled down cross-legged on the futon in the living room, picking at her finger nails.

"Please, come in," Rachel said sarcastically still standing at the door. She closed it and sat at the island in the kitchen. Since the kitchen and the living were basically the same thing, she could easily hold a conversation with Santana from the seat she had chosen.

"Why is your hair such a mess?" Santana asked when she finally looked up from her from her fingers. Not even a second later the Rachel's shirtless boyfriend walked out of the bathroom, waved to Santana, smiled to Rachel and walked into Rachel's bedroom. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay. He got me off twice between the time you hung up on me and when you buzzed up," Rachel said with a little smirk.

Santana laughed a little and said, "Looks like you found a beast."

"He just knows what he's doing," Rachel responded and then switched into best friend mode, "So what's the matter? I don't get very many Sunday evening phone calls from you as of late. I definitely don't get very many of the frantic variety, either. So what's up?"

Santana took in a deep breath and released, "Hayley said 'I love you' to me."

"That's great!" Rachel exclaimed, but once Santana's face told her otherwise she questioned, "That's not great?"

"Well, first of all, she said it while I was going down on her, completely unromantic and second of all..." Santana paused thinking about her second of all, not knowing exactly what it was.

'_Wait, there has to be a second of all?'_

"Second of all...?" Rachel pried.

'_I don't love her back.'_ Santana felt like she was fighting a UFC champ she was hit so hard with the realization.

"I don't love her back."

"Ookaay," Rachel said slowly, "do you think you could?"

"I... umm... I don-"

"You're not allowed to say I don't know!" Rachel jumped in before Santana could finish saying it.

"This is a situation where the phrase 'I don't know' is completely appropriate," a frustrated Santana returned.

"Not when you are completely aware of your answer," Rachel answered back with a little force, "You wouldn't have started with 'I... umm' if you didn't know. So spit it out because I'm sure there's a girl back in her dorm room crying because her girlfriend walked out after she told her she loved her."

If there's anyone that knows Santana, it's Rachel. They really are a lot alike. They may have some different interests, but a lot of their personality attributes are strikingly similar. They're both extremely passionate about the things they do and they'd both do anything for the people they care about.

When it comes to talking about 'feelings,' however, they are completely different. When things get complicated Rachel approaches it head on; Santana, on the other hand, tries her hardest not to approach it at all. Here, they balance each other out. Rachel always calls Santana out when she isn't dealing with important emotions, but Santana always lets Rachel know when she's taking things too far.

Santana came to Rachel on this day, because she knew she needed Rachel to drag her feelings out of her. She wouldn't admit it, but it was true. She knew she had to deal with what had happened back at Hayley's dorm, but she needed Rachel's tough love to help her deal.

Rachel was right. Santana knew exactly why she left Hayley's room. Things were fine with her. She liked Hayley. She was sweet, funny, gorgeous, and really great in bed, but as great as all of those things are, they weren't enough. The instant she heard Hayley say "I love you," she knew she didn't love her back. She knew she was never going to love her back.

"I don't want to love her back," Santana finally answered Rachel.

"There it is. Okay, S, now it's really time to dive deep: Why?" Rachel prodded.

Santana knew this was coming and had her answer prepared. After a while, she'd gotten used to Rachel's tactics and knew that if she didn't answer them right away, she'd just get badgered.

"She just isn't the right person," it was a simple answer, but it was the right one.

Rachel gave Santana a tiny scowl and sat searching her friend for a moment before asking her next question, "How long ago did you figure this out? Because I know it didn't just hit you today."

And there it was. Rachel's verbal smack of reality to Santana's face. Really, there should be a diploma on Rachel's wall that declares her PhD in Santana.

It only took a few seconds to figure this one out, "March," she responded with a slight wince, knowing exactly what was going to come out of Rachel's mouth next.

"Before or after she asked you to be her girlfriend?" Rachel asked, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger.

And there it was: the horrendous pang of guilt that Santana felt coming when she said 'March:' "Before."

"So why on earth did you say yes?" Rachel asked letting her hand fall from her face and hit the table.

"I don't know, I thought that maybe I'd feel different if we had some sort of title attached to us. At least I knew I liked her more than I liked Mackenzie. We both know that was a big mistake. I just... ugh... I fucked up okay? I know. And now I have a mess to clean up," Santana huffed and slumped into the futon, biting the inner corner of her lip.

"Are you sure there isn't something else?" Rachel pried with a look telling Santana that she knew for a fact there _was_ something else.

There was, but Santana refused to admit it. No matter how many times Rachel brought it up, she wasn't going to say it was true. Santana just hoped that she'd get over it someday. Maybe the right girl would come along and she'd know and the wall she'd built up a year and a half prior would come crumbling down.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I wanted to post yesterday's update this early, but the internet in my house does not work. That's why this one is coming so early, I have internet where I am now (at 7:20 AM EST). Anyways, hope you liked this one! I would absolutely love to hear from you. Go on, leave a comment!**

**A/N 2: Happy Glee Day!**


	25. You Guys Are Gonna Miss It!

December 2014, New York City  
>Santana's Apartment<p>

"Hey S! Your phone is ringing!" Rachel called out to Santana from the kitchen.

"Just let it go, I'm busy," Santana answered back as she untangled the cord to her vacuum cleaner.

"It's Quinn!"

Santana dropped the cord and ran for the kitchen where Rachel was sitting on a stool at the island, holding out the phone.

"Cute picture," Rachel said just before Santana snatched it out her hand.

"Hello," Santana panted out. A combination of worrying about missing the call and running left her a little out of air.

"Hey," Quinn's voice came through Santana's phone smoothly.

"What's up?" Santana asked, finding her normal breathing pattern.

"I just had a couple questions about tonight."

"Umm... sure... ask away, Q."

"Well, first of all, what time is everyone showing up to this little shindig?"

'_She just said shindig... how adorable is that?'_ "Umm... anytime between 9:30 and 10. The big event's at midnight. Don't want the kiddies getting antsy," Santana said with a breathy laugh. She was starting to get really excited for the party.

"Okay great. And my second question is umm... you don't mind if I bring someone do you, like a date?"

Santana was sure her heart stopped. Rachel's eyes went wide at the expression on Santana's face. "What did she just say?" she whispered.

Snapping out of her state of shock, Santana tried her best to be cool, "Yeah, that's fine. I don't mind. Rachel, Kurt and Berto are all bringing someone. I... uh... I have someone coming, too, so it's cool." She closed her eyes and bit down on her tongue hoping to dull the pain she was feeling in her chest.

"Oh, you have a date, too?" Santana barely heard Quinn ask.

Santana released her tongue from the vice she had created with her teeth and mustered an answer, "Yeah, she... umm... I met her at a party last week." Santana was lying so hard it hurt. She smacked her hand onto her forehead and slid it down to her chin. Looking up from the floor, she made eye contact with a very concerned Rachel.

"Oh, okay, cool. So, everyone will have someone. Great. Umm... I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you later, Q," Santana said back through a lump of tears building in her throat and pressed 'end call.'

"Why did you do that?" Rachel asked the second Santana tossed her phone onto the countertop.

"Why did I do what?" Santana said through lightly gritted teeth, attempting to delay her inevitable tears.

"Hm, I don't know, does lying to Quinn about having a date for tonight ring a bell?" Rachel asked sarcastically with a knowing glare.

Santana sighed as she pulled out a stool from underneath the island and sat down. She folded her arms on top of the island and plopped her forehead onto them, so that by the time she finished saying, "It was the first thing I thought of! I didn't know what else to say!" she sounded like she was in a tunnel.

"And how are you going to find a date in four hours on New Year's Eve? I've seen your contacts, not exactly overflowing with lady loving ladies," Rachel said. Santana heard Rachel push out her stool, walk over to the fridge and open it up as she spoke.

Looking up from the cave she'd created with her arms and the counter top, a slightly offended Santana responded, "First of all, I don't appreciate being patronized," she put her face back into its hide out and sighed, "and second: I'm not going to find a date," she looked back up and continued, "I'm just going to be the ninth wheel at my own party." She turned her head back and let it fall a little harder than the last two times, causing her nose to hit the counter this time, just enough to hurt. The perfect excuse to let those tears fall.

Santana felt Rachel's hand on her shoulder, then her arm slide down and around her waist, "Hey, S, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. This sucks." Santana turned her head and rested her cheek on her folded arms. Rachel placed a kiss on her cheek and sat down on the stool that was adjacent to Santana's. Sliding her fingers underneath Santana's, Rachel said, "You could cancel the party. You could tell everyone that you're sick. I'll call Ryan and tell him something important came up and spend the night here with you. I'm sure Kurt will still come over-"

"No," Santana interrupted, picking up her head and slapping her hands on the counter, "Shit happens, right?"

With a big smile Rachel answered, "Right!"

"And what do we do about it?"

Rachel's smile disappeared and she answered, "Ummm... this is your speech, I don't really know where you're going with this..."

Santana rolled her eyes and sighed, "We look uncontrollably hot and make them wish they didn't bring a date. Come on, we have four hours and a whole closet to go through!" Santana got up and began marching straight for her bedroom. It was time to break out all of those dresses and heels that made her legs look even more amazing than they already were.

"YES! This is the Santana I remember from high school!" Rachel yelled as she followed Santana to her room.

Stopping at the door of her closet, Santana turned around in a dramatic fashion and declared, "Quinn isn't going to know what hit her."

...

Same Place  
>Five Hours Later<p>

"Wow, S, you know, if you weren't a lesbian and I didn't have a girlfriend, I'd totally be hitting on you right now," Berto said as he walked into the kitchen, "I can't believe how hot you look!"

"Ummm... thanks, B," Santana responded rather warily. She'd probably be more offended if Berto wasn't her 'bro.' Clearly this was his way of complimenting her. "Speaking of your girlfriend, where is she?"

"She's in the living room talking to Kurt and his friend, Seth I think his name is? Where's _your_ girlfriend?" Berto asked with a cunning smirk.

Santana gave Berto a death glare and responded, "I don't have a girlfriend, asshole."

"Well you better by the end of night. Seriously, if that Quinn girl doesn't confess her love for you when she sees you in that dress, she doesn't deserve you," Berto said and then walked out with two drinks in his hands.

'_God, does everyone know?'_ Santana was really starting to wonder when she began wearing her heart right on her sleeve for the whole world to see. Once upon a time, no one knew what was going on in her mind, now it seemed like everyone knew how she felt. Well, everyone but the one person she wanted to know how she felt.

Santana's bubble of thoughts was burst by her buzzer going off. In her heels, she clicked her way over to the intercom and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Quinn!" the little box on the wall squawked back.

The blood flowing through Santana's body was suddenly racing. She was completely overwhelmed by the hyper-awareness of everything moving in her body. Her heart was pounding against her chest, her eardrums were hammering with every sound, and her stomach was doing an entire gymnastics floor routine. She watched as her hand shook its way up to the button that would buzz Quinn and her date in. In a matter of seconds there would be a knock and two faces on the other side of the door.

_Knock_

Santana wrapped her fingers around the door knob and inhaled as deep as she could. She imagined she was filling her entire body with air and not just her lungs. She exhaled slowly and opened the door.

Neither girl said anything once the door was open and they were face to face. Quinn looked absolutely beautiful. Her cheeks and nose were red from being outside. She was wearing a black wool coat and coming out from underneath it was a black dress that cut just below her knee. Her make-up was light and her hair was flowy.

The best part of Quinn's appearance, though, was that she was alone. Santana was only looking at one person. She didn't even realize she was holding her breath until she finally said, "Hey."

"Hey," Quinn smiled.

"Where's you date?" Santana asked in a breathy tone. Her heart was still racing.

"Umm... he had a family emergency," Quinn answered, looking down at the floor... or maybe she was looking at Santana's legs... or both.

"He, huh?" Santana asked feeling a tiny dagger delve into her stomach.

"Yeah, it's okay, he wasn't really my type anyways," Quinn said looking up and through a smile, "Umm... could I possibly come in?"

"Oh, yeah! I'm sorry," Santana said as she backed out of the doorway to let Quinn pass. As she did so, a waft of pomegranate and powder filled the air around Santana and was lost in a world of Quinn.

"Where should I put this?" Quinn asked holding out her coat.

After she was done taking in how magnificent Quinn looked in her elegant, yet simple black dress, Santana reached out for the coat and took it saying, "I'll take it. It'll be in the spare bedroom if you need it. Umm... everyone's in the living room if you want to go in and say hi. There's alcohol in the kitchen if you want anything."

"I'm good, thanks. I'll just go into the living room with everyone," Quinn said through her smile that had yet to fade from her face. She turned around and Santana watched her hips sway lightly with her steps towards the living room.

Santana entered the extra bedroom and tossed Quinn's coat on the bed as she leaned back into the wall next to the door. She stayed there for a few minutes trying to regain control of her body. It took many deep breaths to do so, but she eventually succeeded.

After a stop in the bathroom to make sure that her hair and make-up were still intact, Santana made her way to the living room. Quinn was the first person she spotted and the only person she heard. She was explaining to everyone why she was so late, saying that she didn't think about how difficult it was going to be to use the subway tonight. She met Quinn's eyes while she was talking about a man on the subway that was clearly very upset about the night's festivities and she felt her heart skip.

Somehow, someway, she had to tell Quinn how she felt about her. It had to be tonight. She didn't have a plan but she knew it needed to happen. Being scared was no longer an option.

...

Same Place  
>One Hour and Twenty Minutes Later<p>

Ten minutes until midnight and Santana had barely gotten the opportunity to say two words to Quinn. Somehow, both Kurt and Berto's girlfriend managed to keep her busy for the entire time she'd been there. Every once in a while Santana would look away from the conversation she was in to glance over at Quinn and she'd be listening very intently to something that was being said to her. During a heated debate about video games between Seth and Berto, Santana escaped to the kitchen and poured herself a huge glass of Diet Coke. She sat at the island and stared at the counter top for a while and when she looked up at the microwave to see that the time was now 11:56, she heard her favorite sound.

"I was wondering where you went."

All of the nerves that Santana had gotten rid of nearly an hour and half ago, reappeared the instant Quinn entered the kitchen. She tried her best to keep them under control and said, "Yeah, I just wanted a little quiet for a second. The Great Video Game Debate was getting to be a little much."

Quinn laughed as she sat down a stool away from Santana and said, "Well, it's over and everyone's all paired off, waiting for the ball to drop."

Santana looked back at the microwave: 11:58. "We should probably go back in there."

"We have a couple minutes," Quinn said through that smile Santana couldn't get enough of.

Santana simply smiled back and took a sip of her drink.

"So, your date canceled, too?" Quinn asked, filling the silence.

Santana was totally caught off guard. By now she had completely forgotten that she'd lied to Quinn about having a date for the night. As quickly as she could, she made a up a story that she hoped she wouldn't have to use, "Yeah... umm... she called a few hours ago and said she was stuck in Jersey." _'Wait, what?'_

"Well, not that I'm glad that you were stood up or anything, but I was kind of happy to see that you didn't have a date tonight. I was worried I'd be a ninth wheel or something," Quinn said through a soft breathy laugh, leaning her cheek into her hand.

"I was pretty happy when you were by yourself at the door, too," Santana said dipping her eyes down towards the counter top and then taking a sip from her Diet Coke. She flicked them back up and found Quinn's eye's instantly.

There was another silence between them. This time, they filled it with eye contact. Santana couldn't peel her eyes away from the hazel pair staring back at her. At least she couldn't until Rachel broke through their bubble, "THIRTY SECONDS!"

Standing up Santana said again, "We should go in there."

"Yeah, I guess we should," Quinn said as her eyes followed Santana's every move.

"You guys are gonna miss it!" Berto called out.

Santana began to walk towards the living room, passing Quinn on the way. Her hand accidentally brushed against Quinn's arm as she was passing and she felt that one little touch rush through her entire body.

Santana was halted in her tracks. She looked back and down at her wrist to see Quinn's fingers circled around it. She looked up and was instantly met with Quinn's gaze.

"Ten!"

'_This is it. It's perfect.'_

"Eight! Seven!"

Santana's heart was throbbing so hard she could feel the blood pumping in her toes.

"Five! Four!"

'_Kiss her!'_

"Two! One!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I feel like you all hate me right this second. I do wish that you wouldn't hate me, though. But, I'm going to tell you that I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger! Besides, it's not like I'm going to make you wait weeks for the next update. Go on, let me know how much you hate me... or how much you don't. I'm hoping more for the latter.**

**A/N 2: Happy Day After Glee Day!**


	26. The New

February 2009, Lima, Ohio  
>The Fabray Residence<p>

Quinn couldn't sleep. She knew she needed to be sleeping, but she was way too anxious and her thoughts were moving at an unstoppable speed. After trying for two hours she finally gave up and went downstairs. She stopped first in the kitchen to get a glass of water. Her next and last stop was the family room.

Using her cell phone as a flashlight, she fumbled around in the dark room in search of the remote control. Just for the hell of it, she dove her hand in between the seat cushions of the love seat and lo and behold, there it was. She turned on the gigantic television for its wider range of illumination before she walked around the room gathering a blanket and a couple pillows. She made herself a temporary bed on the sofa directly in front of the television and plopped into it. Once she settled into her bed for the night, she started flipping through the channels. Considering it was 1 AM, Monday, she wasn't expecting to find anything good. All she needed was to find something to take herself out of her head. With the start of her new life in Lima pressing against her, she settled on some gay men prancing around in dresses vying to become the top drag queen. It was unlikely that her super-conservative parents would wander downstairs any time soon, so this was okay. While Quinn found herself in agreement with her parents on most matters like saving yourself for marriage, she could never wrap her head around hating people simply because they're gay.

Her first day as Quinn was going to begin in a mere seven hours. She asked her parents to start calling her by her middle name when they told her they were moving, but this day was _really_ going to be her first day as Quinn. No one at William McKinley High School would ever know the old her. Lucy Caboosy was gone and she was never coming back. She still couldn't get over the fact that even after returning from summer vacation in her size 3 jeans, the kids at her old high school still called her that. Most kids get upset when they're told they're moving, Quinn could not have been happier.

To make things even better, she got a phone call the day her transfer went through from the coach of McKinley's cheerleading squad, Sue Sylvester, inviting her to be on the Cheerios. She didn't even have to try out, she was just invited to be on the best high school cheerleading team in the country. Quinn's new life was already turning out to be better than Lucy's had ever been.

Quinn's positive change in thought substance eventually lulled her to sleep. In what felt like only minutes later however, a dream in which she sensed she was falling from a Cheerios lift she hadn't yet experienced, kicked her awake. She rubbed her eyes to find the time on the DVD player, but instead of going directly to their destination, her eyes froze on the unavoidably gigantic television screen. There, nearly life size in front of her were two women kissing. No, they weren't just kissing, they were making out and it was obviously leading elsewhere. Quinn finally shook herself out of her daze when the women were scantily clad and together on the bed. She seized the remote from the coffee table, pressed info then channel up. _ 'The L Word? I guess they can show whatever they want at 3:30AM?'_ Quinn thought.

Quinn couldn't help but think about how difficult it was for her to tear her eyes from the screen. The sensation between her legs was also completely unavoidable. It wasn't a _new_ feeling, except that it was a little stronger than the one she got when saw a man and a woman in any similar situation. _'It was just a sexual situation, and you were caught off guard,'_ Quinn silently reassured herself, _'Now go back to sleep or you really will fall out of that lift tomorrow.'_

...

Somewhere in William McKinley High School  
>The Next Day<p>

Standing at the end of one of McKinley High's hallways, Quinn knew she was lost. She also knew that if she didn't find Coach Sylvester's office soon, she'd probably be kicked off the squad before she was ever on it. _'How is it that there are no other people here?'_

"You look beyond lost," Quinn heard someone say on her left.

Quinn turned her head in the direction the voice came from and was met with two sets of eyes. One pair was blue and belonged to a tall, blonde haired girl and the other set was deep brown and belonged to a Hispanic girl with long raven colored hair. Both girls were wearing red and white WMHS cheerleading uniforms and had their hair up in tight ponytails. What Quinn actually noticed first, though, was that the girls had their pinkies linked.

"Ummm... yeah. Could you tell me where Coach Sylvester's office is?" Quinn managed to ask after she gulped down some of her nerves.

"That's where we're going! You can come with us!" the blonde said with a little too much excitement.

"You must be the new girl. I'm Santana and this is Brittany," the darker haired girl said and looked at the blonde with a soft smile.

"Nice to meet you. I'm..." on instinct, Quinn's tongue began to form the L that began her forsaken first name. Before the sound could be made however, she bit her tongue and began again, "Quinn."

"It's our first day, too," Brittany said as they began walking to Coach Sylvester's office, "Well not at school, but on the Cheerios!"

"Yeah, Sue went all bat shit about two weeks ago and threw three of her Seniors off the squad. Prepare for Hell," Santana said as they turned a corner.

"It can't be that bad," Quinn said with mouthful of doubt.

"It is. I mean, we're here at 8 AM on the first day of February Vaca. I'm pretty sure it's worth it though because of the national titles and all the cool shit we get," the Latina said Quinn.

"Shh... we're almost there!" Brittany revealed.

Suddenly Quinn couldn't help but feel nauseas. She really didn't want her nerves to get the best of her. Then she felt someone grab her hand. She looked down and saw tanned fingers interlocked with hers. Quinn lifted her head and she was met with deep brown eyes and a pleasant grin. Her nerves fell away and all there was, was Santana.

"Don't worry," the girl who had grabbed her hand said, "We're gonna stick together. We're gonna be running this place in no time." Santana's pleasant grin turned into a devious smirk as she uttered those words and Quinn felt herself believing her. Actually, Quinn probably would have believed anything that Santana had said to her, considering how mesmerized she was by the Latina.

As the three girls walked hand-in-hand to their coach's office, Quinn was finally hit with the reality of what had just happened. Twice within a twenty-four hour period, something completely out of the ordinary had happened to her. She didn't have time to really process things because before her thoughts could really settle in, the girls were in Coach Sylvester's office, having their new William McKinley High School futures laid out for them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well I hope you all enjoyed the last flashback! I know it still leaves you hanging but it was necessary. Come on! Let me know what you think!**


	27. Happy New Year

January 2015, New York City  
>Santana's Apartment<p>

As cheers erupted from the living room, Santana and Quinn stayed frozen in the places they were when the countdown began. Every second that passed, more tension was built between them. They stayed stock still, staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. They both knew what they wanted, but neither one of them could work up the right amount of courage to seize it.

"Hey, you guys missed... it," Kurt's voice rang in through the kitchen. The second they heard his foot steps getting closer, the two girls jumped out of their positions and awkwardly pretended like nothing had ever happened, "Or maybe you didn't?"

Quinn gave Kurt a glare and Santana quirked her eyebrow up wondering what had just happened. Then, as if the party had suddenly moved into the kitchen, Rachel, Ryan, Seth, Berto and his girlfriend, Georgia filed into the room that wasn't big enough to hold eight people.

"Okay there are way too many people in here!" Santana yelled out over the din that was being created just by having that many bodies in such a small space.

"We were all just coming in to say that we're heading out," Berto said as he wrapped his arm around Georgia.

"Yeah, since we all live in relatively the same area, we figured we'd all walk back together before things got really crazy," Rachel said as she backed up into Ryan.

"Ow," Ryan said through a little laugh, "Babe, you just stabbed my foot with your heel."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Rachel said through a pout and got up on her tip toes to kiss her 5'9" boyfriend. Santana really liked this one. He was sweet and genuine. Like, actually sweet and genuine, not like Finn was sweet and genuine on outside but a big douche bag on the inside. Rachel really liked this one, too. The two had been dating for two months and they hadn't slept together yet. At least, to Santana's knowledge they hadn't. It was probably safe to say that they still hadn't, since Santana would probably be the first to hear about it anyways.

"Okay, how about, everyone go grab your coats from the spare room, and I'll meet you at the door? Sound good?" Santana yelled over the muffled conversations that were happening between the couples.

There were nods and "okay"s had throughout the kitchen and everyone started filing out. Quinn got up and followed everyone out of the kitchen but stopped at the doorframe and watched as everyone grabbed their coats. She wasn't going to leave. She came here with a plan and she was going to execute it. Even if that plan was at its sixth revision, she was going to tell Santana how she felt.

Like a line of ants carrying the day's food back to the hill, Santana's guests entered empty handed and exited the spare room with their coats on one by one. Santana waited by the open door for each of her guests to pass through and say their good byes. She hugged Georgia and apologized for the hundredth time for the silly string prank and then hugged Berto, congratulating him on his grades. Next in line was Kurt's date, Seth, the waiter from the coffee shop that Santana went to every week. Then Kurt wrapped his arms her and told her how fabulous she looked and how he missed this Santana. Ryan was next in line and Santana gave him a big hug, but also made a mental note to scare the shit out of him the next time she saw him. He needs to know what will happen if he hurts her best friend. Finally, Rachel threw her arms around Santana and whispered into her ear, "I think tonight's the night."

'_Oh then he's definitely getting the Lima Heights Adjacent threat.'_

When they broke the hug, Rachel took a step back, shot her eyes in the direction of Quinn and mouthed, "Good luck." Santana gave back a nervous smile and watched Rachel take Ryan's hand to walk towards the stairs.

"Bye guys! Be safe!"

Quinn watched it all from the doorway that leads into the kitchen. As Santana was calling out to their friends, she received a text message. She pulled her phone out of her bra and opened the message:

From Kurt:  
><strong>Good luck.<strong>

"A secret admirer?" Santana asked from the other end of the hallway.

"No," Quinn blushed and put her phone back into its place, "just a really great friend."

Santana smiled and then disappeared into the spare room. When she reemerged, she was holding Quinn's coat in her arms.

Quinn wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't sure what to say either and only mumbled, "I wasn't-"

"I know. I don't want you to," Santana interrupted. She had her own plan for tonight. She walked down the hallway towards Quinn and said, "Just put this on. I'll be back in a second." She handed Quinn her coat and disappeared into her own room. She came back out in a North Face fleece and big furry boots.

"Where are we going?" Quinn asked as she followed Santana out of her apartment.

"The roof," Santana answered and then started up the four flights of stairs that would take them there.

Despite visiting Santana's apartment multiple times, Quinn had never been to the roof. She knew that the building wasn't very tall so she figured the view wouldn't be that great.

When they got to the top of the stairs, Santana flipped a switch and turned back to Quinn, "It might be a little windy." She turned around, took breath and pushed open the door.

Quinn could not have been more wrong about the view. She was in instant awe when she stepped out onto the roof. While Santana propped the door open, Quinn kept walking out further onto the roof. She was surrounded by big white Christmas lights and in front of her, she could see the Empire State Building lit up green and red. She could still see fireworks going off everywhere around the city.

Santana stood by the doorway and watched Quinn take everything in. When Quinn finally stopped walking and settled on the fireworks going off over the Hudson, Santana began walking over to her. Every inch of her body was tingling with nerves and it only got more intense with every step that brought her closer to Quinn. From behind her, Santana placed her hand on Quinn's shoulder. Quinn immediately turned around, looked directly into Santana's eyes and said, "This is beautiful."

Through all of her nerves and her pounding heart, Santana still found the ability to smile and say to Quinn, "You're beautiful."

Quinn felt her heart melting. Her stomach was fluttering up into her lungs. She was still looking into Santana's deep brown eyes, until her own eyes darted down to her lips, her soft, full, pouty lips. As if it had a mind of its own, Quinn's hand moved up to Santana's cheek and cupped it, her thumb lightly tracing over the lips she'd been staring at.

Santana closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of Quinn's hand on her face. It was cold but she was on fire. She opened her eyes again and brought her own hand to Quinn's. "Quinn?"

Quinn looked up from Santana's lips after her named was expelled from them.

In anticipation of what was going to come out of her mouth, Santana's body began it's natural progression of anxiety. Before it could get any worse, Santana began, "I..." The moment she opened her mouth her heart started hammering away and her throat got tight. The words she wanted to say were trapped.

I, love, and you: three words that are fairly unthreatening when standing alone, however when put together, it's one of the most terrifying phrases known to man.

Quinn didn't know what Santana was trying to say, but she knew that her own heart was beating hard in her chest waiting for it. She took half a step forward into the tension between them and her eyes went back down to Santana's lips. _'Who needs words,'_ Quinn thought. With her hand still on Santana's cheek, Quinn completed her step forward and let her eyes dart around Santana's face before letting them rest once again on her lips. She slid her hand behind Santana's neck and pressed her lips against hers in a kiss she'd wanted for longer than she could remember at the moment.

Even though it happened so slowly, it still took Santana a few seconds to realize what was happening. Quinn's lips were touching hers. Quinn was kissing her! _'Kiss her back!'_ She shifted the position of her lips and inched her head forward as she simultaneously grabbed Quinn's hips and pulled her in closer. A sense of invincibility washed over the Latina as she kissed back the girl she'd wanted for months. Now she could say what she wanted to say. She broke the kiss and rested her forehead on Quinn's as she attempted to catch her breath. Concluding that a normal breathing pattern wasn't necessary, Santana finally said, "I'm in love with you."

The instant the words glided through her ears, Quinn grabbed Santana's face with both of her hands and pulled her into a fierce kiss. She felt Santana's hands move to the swell of her back and she couldn't stop the moan from leaving her throat. Keeping her hands around Santana's face, she pulled her head back and looked directly into Santana's eyes, "I'm in love with you."

A smile grew across Santana's face immediately. Her stomach was fluttering more than it ever had and her body was still tingling from the aftermath of the last kiss Quinn had planted on her lips. _'This is what happiness feels like,'_ she thought to herself as a few tears escaped her eyes.

"S, are you crying?" Quinn asked in a soft whisper and lifted her thumbs that were still on her face to wipe away the few tears that had fallen.

"No," Santana sniffled, "it's just really cold up here."

Quinn laughed quietly and lifted herself up a little to place a kiss on the other girl's forehead. Of course she didn't believe Santana. She loved how romantic it was that she was crying. Although, it was pretty cold, "Maybe we should go back inside then?"

"Okay," Santana nodded and then watched as Quinn turned around to walk back towards the propped door. "Wait!" she called out and jogged the short distance to Quinn. When she got there she grabbed Quinn's face between her hands and kissed her lips once more.

"You could have done that inside," Quinn said with eyes still closed.

"I couldn't wait that long," Santana said as she found Quinn's hand with her own and laced their fingers together, "Okay, now we can go inside."

Quinn smiled and felt her cheeks burn slightly. She knew it would have been worse had the air surrounding them not been twenty-five degrees.

Without letting go of Quinn's hand, Santana managed to kick the wooden wedge out from underneath the door and unlock the door to her apartment. Already sweating from the trek down the stairs, the girls both shed their coats and Santana kicked off her giant furry boots.

Somehow Quinn had managed to forget what Santana was wearing, but she was reminded quickly when she turned around to ask where to put her coat. She couldn't even get the question out. Her lip was sandwiched between her teeth and her eyebrow was quirked up at the sight of Santana in her strapless, mid-thigh length, red dress.

For the first time, Santana caught her staring. Quinn knew she was caught, too, but this time, she didn't care one bit. She kept her eyes on Santana's body even as she was walking closer to her.

"I was hoping you'd like this dress," Santana said as she placed her hands on Quinn's hips.

"Oh really?" Quinn said looking up and tilting her head, "And what makes you think I like it?"

"That look on your face when you turned around." Quinn's face became adorably pink at Santana's comment. Santana suddenly felt like it was confession time, "I wore it because I thought you were coming with a date. I... I lied about having a date. I didn't mean to, it kind of just slipped out. I figured if I looked super hot, it would make up for not having a date."

Quinn found herself laughing a little at Santana's logic. It was funny because it made perfect sense and she did look super hot. Realizing she was still holding onto her coat, Quinn tossed it into the spare room and placed her newly freed arms on Santana's shoulders. She watched Santana's lip slide in between her teeth as she did this and couldn't resist placing another kiss on the Latina's lips. After letting the sensation of the kiss wash over her entire body, Quinn pulled away and began, "I have my own little confession."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm," Quinn hummed as she started pulling Santana to her own bedroom, "I sort of lied about my date, too." Quinn bit her lip again, but this time it was out of anxiety over how Santana might react. All she got from the girl in her arms was a slightly quirked eyebrow and an expression telling her to go on. "It was Kurt's idea. He came up with this elaborate plan for me to tell you how I feel about you beginning with me bringing a date," Quinn sighed and bit her lip once more thinking about how she wanted to form the next part. She wanted everything she said to be perfect, "I hated asking you if it was okay for me to bring someone. But what I hated even more, was hearing how sad you were when I asked. I abandoned Kurt's plan right then and there and had Seth tell his friend that I changed my mind. Even if you really did have a date, I still would have felt better that I hadn't."

Santana felt her heart swelling. She couldn't believe that Quinn had been plotting a way to tell her how she felt. Even more, she couldn't believe that they both had been plotting some way to tell the other how they felt. If only she'd listened to Rachel and her Aunts sooner, she would have already had a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend. She leaned in and kissed Quinn again, "I can't believe Kurt came up with a plan for you!"

"Apparently he and Rachel have been scheming since September," Quinn said with a little laugh as she ran her fingers into Santana's hair.

"You know what?" Santana started as she sat down on her bed with Quinn's arms still on her shoulders and her hands on Quinn's hips, "I'm not even surprised. I think we might be the only people who didn't see this coming. I mean even my aunts said something to me on Thanksgiving, of course I thought they were nuts. It's like we've been living in a Bonnie Raitt song or something."

"I hope it's one her happier ones," Quinn joked, causing both girls to chuckle a little.

Quinn kept laughing to herself even after Santana had stopped. She had acknowledged the Thanksgiving coincidence and couldn't help but a laugh a little. A curious Santana asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Well, it's just..." Quinn hesitated, wondering if it was really the best idea to tell Santana why she was laughing, "it's just that, Thanksgiving is when I knew. That's when I knew I was in love with you."

"No shit!" Santana said with a look of surprise.

"Umm... nope, no shitting here?" Quinn said rather warily.

"I'm sorry," Santana said with a slight shake of her head, "It's just that, that's when I knew. When you came to the door and helped out my aunts. I heard your voice and it was like the world stopped. And then the rest of the day with my family. I knew I was lost."

The smile on Santana's face was hands down, the most beautiful thing Quinn had ever seen in her life. Silently, she vowed to see it again, then erased it with a kiss. Her fingers that had previously been laced in Santana's hair, were now teasing at the back of her head. One little shift of Santana's hands from her hips around to the top of her ass, sent Quinn's center on fire. The kiss that they were sharing suddenly became deeper and needier.

They both knew exactly where this kiss was leading and they both knew that there was no stopping. Tension had been building between them for four months, if anything, they deserved it.

Somehow, they still found it in themselves to take their time. Neither one of them had moved to _really_ deepen the kiss and get their tongues involved. However, when Quinn found that Santana's lower lip was conveniently located between both of hers, she couldn't resist sucking it into her mouth and dragging her teeth across it.

"Yup, you've really mastered that," Santana said through an even huskier tone than usual. Inching her hands up Quinn's back, Santana asked, "Is it just me, or is it getting really hot in here?"

"I'm dying," Quinn whispered when she felt Santana start unzipping her dress. As Santana slid down the shoulders of her dress, Quinn bent back down and unleashed a full assault on Santana's mouth. She nipped and licked at her bottom lip until she opened it, granting her access. When she felt her dress fall to the floor, Quinn put her knees on either side of Santana and straddled her thighs, while continuing her exploration of the Latina's mouth.

Santana broke the kiss for two reasons: 1) for some oxygen and 2) to see Quinn. She opened her eyes and looked at the very scantily clad girl sitting on top of her. Her eyes met first with Quinn's, then wandered down her face to her covered breasts, then continued their journey down and stopped at a line of black ink scrawled down the side of her ribs. She brought her fingertips to the tattoo and lightly grazed her fingers over the soft skin that housed the ink. Looking back up to Quinn's hazel eyes, she asked, "What does it say?"

"Can't you read it?" Quinn asked through her little smirk as she began unzipping Santana's dress.

With her own grin, Santana swiftly switched their positions so that she was now between Quinn's legs and standing on the floor. "I want to hear it the way you heard it when you decided to permanently ink yourself with it."

Quinn let herself laugh a little at Santana's request. She got up on her knees so that she was on the same level as Santana and as she began peeling off her new lover's dress, she said, "Paul McCartney would have to be singing in order for you to hear..." Her sentence trailed off as her eyes were met with what she had been uncovering. She'd only gotten the dress down to Santana's waist when her hands stopped moving and her eyes found a pair of breathtaking breasts. As Santana finished the process, Quinn's eyes followed the fabric all the way to floor and when she looked back up, she let everything she was thinking slip out of her mouth, "You're even more beautiful than I remember."

Santana's instincts told her to kiss Quinn, she followed them. She knew that wasn't a line, it was genuine and it was perfect. Quinn's fingers found Santana's skin and at just that slight touch, Santana let out an unavoidable moan into Quinn's mouth. She needed to touch Quinn. Slowly, she lifted her hands up, bringing her fingers to Quinn's lightly defined abs and as she explored her skin, a hum escaped the blonde's lips.

The longer their explorations went on, the more engulfed their centers became. Knowing what she wanted, Quinn made an executive decision to move things forward. She broke their kiss and reached behind her back, unhooking her bra and tossing it unceremoniously onto the floor. She looked right into Santana's eyes and in a tone that even surprised her said, "Touch me."

Still taken by the bare chest of the girl who was speaking to her, Santana questioned breathily, "Where?"

Lifting Santana's chin with her forefinger, Quinn reestablished eye contact and answered confidently, "Everywhere."

Finding her confidence absolutely irresistible, as always, Santana eliminated every millimeter that was between them and smashed their lips and bodies together. Abs met abs, breasts met breasts, and nipples met nipples. Hands found new skin to explore as fingers slid up and down backs.

Quinn quickly discovered that there was no fabric hiding Santana's ass and was bold enough to let her hands slide over each cheek. Santana moaned as Quinn's hands kneaded the flesh underneath them. Quinn moaned back as she felt a hand snake its way in between their bodies and find her right breast. This simple touch sent little shock waves through her body and "Mmm Santana," through her vocal chords. Taking the lead again, she began to lie down pulling Santana by her ass on top of her.

"You are so sexy," Santana whispered as she lowered herself down to trail kisses along Quinn's neck. She pressed her thigh into Quinn's center and felt the blonde shudder slightly underneath her. Letting her lips explore more skin, she lowered herself more and placed kisses down Quinn's chest to her right breast. When she got to the protruding pink nipple, she licked a circle around before she sucked it in between her lips.

"Oh my god!" Quinn writhed underneath the girl on top of her. She lifted her hips grinding her center into Santana's thigh for more friction. "S?"

"Mhm?" Santana hummed as she sucked Quinn's other nipple into her mouth.

Quinn grabbed Santana's face and lifted her head. When eye-contact was made she husked out, "I can't wait any more! I want you!" she pulled Santana's face into hers for a kiss and when she pushed it away she said, "I love you."

Santana's world flipped upside down, but in the best way possible. Quinn wanted her because she loved her.

"I love you, too."

At those words Quinn reached her hands down and began sliding Santana's thong down her legs. She lifted herself up as Santana did the same to her.

"You're a lefty, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Perfect," Quinn uttered as she pulled Santana down to her left side. She slid her hand up the inside of Santana's thigh and teased at the lips that resided between her legs. She didn't even have to dip her fingers in between them to know that Santana was beyond ready, "You're so wet."

"So are you," Santana responded as her fingers glided along Quinn's slit. Wanting to know just how wet she really was, Santana pressed on, parting Quinn's lips and sliding her middle finger up from her entrance to her clit. A tiny whimper elicited from Quinn's throat and Santana whispered, "God, Q, you're drenched."

Dipping a finger between Santana's lips, Quinn immediately sought out her clit. As she began administering circles, she admitted, "It's been like that since September."

"What? Oh fuck!"

"I've... oh my god... always wanted you. Ever since... oh right there... don't stop!"

"Ever since... uh huh... when?"

"S, I can't think... mmm... properly right now... OH MY GOD!" Santana's fingers slid down Quinn's folds and entered her without any warning whatsoever.

With her fingers surrounded by Quinn, she immediately began her search for that extra sensitive spot. She curled her fingers up when thought she'd found it, only to receive verbal confirmation from Quinn.

"Yes!"

Not to be outdone, though, Quinn slid her fingers down and with just as much warning, slid them into Santana and began her own search.

"Mmm, Quinn!"

Together they began pumping into each other, finding a rhythm rather quickly. They listened to each other's breathing and at the same time their thumbs lifted to find the other concentration of nerves that would surely send them both hurtling over the edge.

"Oh my god! I'm so close!"

"Me, too," Santana whispered back.

At the same time they increased their pace and within seconds they each felt the others walls close in.

"Santana!" Quinn yelled out as the girl who was inside of her grabbed her free hand and squeezed through her own orgasm.

Every bit of tension that ever existed, was broken in that instant as synapses fired and toes curled.

After hearing her name called out by the girl she was in love with, Santana couldn't help but bring her head forward and kiss the lips that it had just passed through. They each continued to slowly thrust their arms as they rode out their orgasms. Considering the intensity, it was a pretty difficult feat and when they finally pulled out of each other, they let their dominant arms fall behind them, but let their lips linger together in the kiss that was now lazy yet somehow still filled with passion.

"That was better than I ever imagined," Quinn finally said when her lungs were rested and her lips were no longer on Santana's. "Definitely better than imagining your hand instead of mine," Quinn giggled and ducked her head down into one of Santana's pillows.

"Huh?"

"Ever since high school. Please don't be mad that I lied to you."

"What are you talking abou- oh," Santana propped herself up and tucked a stray piece of Quinn's shoulder length hair behind her ear, "Q, why would I be mad? That was almost four years ago and besides, no offense or anything, but I was pretty hung up on someone else."

"But I said-"

Quinn's sentence was stopped by a quick kiss from Santana. Too quick of a kiss.

"And I ran away-"

This time, Santana stopped Quinn's words with a kiss that the blonde swore she could feel absolutely everywhere in her body.

"Q, it isn't important. I love you now. I want to be with you now. I know we both have some baggage, but honestly, I think we start packing the moment we take our first breath of air. Life happens, okay and I know we have a lot to talk about but right now I just want to lie here with the beautiful girl I just made love to," she rolled her eyes a little and smirked, "and maybe make some more, you know, because it was so great the first time."

Quinn loved how perfectly Santana everything that she said was. It was an beautiful combination of the more mature twenty-year-old Santana and the shameless seventeen year-old Santana that Quinn remembered. She couldn't help but say, "I love you." She scooted forward and wrapped her arm around Santana's waist, "It was more than great and I would _love_ to do it again."

...

9 Hours Later  
>Santana's Bed<p>

"Mmm... who calls people at... ten in the morning?"

"Rachel. I have to answer it," Santana sighed as she reached for her phone. Just before pressing answer, she kissed Quinn's forehead, "Hey Rach."

"What happened last night?"

"I'm good, Rach. How are you?" Santana looked down at Quinn and rolled her eyes. Santana switched the ear the phone was on so that Quinn could hear.

"Come on Santana! I'll tell you how my night went!"

"I know how your night went, Rach. You wouldn't have called me this late if it was bad... hey that tickles."

Quinn giggled as she continued tracing 'I love you's' over Santana's chest and abs.

"What tickles- OH MY GOD!"

"She caught us," Quinn whispered through a smile.

"Aaaaahhh! She's in your bed! Oh my god! I'm so excited!"

"You know, I couldn't tell," Santana snarked. She bent her head down a little, lifted Quinn's chin and lightly placed a kiss on her lips, trying her hardest not let the smack lips tend to make be too loud.

"Oh my god! Did you just kiss? Aaaah! Tell her I say hi!"

Quinn lifted her head from Santana's shoulder, "Hey Rachel."

"Am I on speaker?"

"No, you're just so loud that she can hear you."

"Oh very funny."

Quinn and Santana looked at each other and laughed as quietly as they could, which wasn't quiet enough.

"You know what, I'm going to let you two get back to whatever I interrupted, but Santana, you better tell me everything later! And Quinn?"

"Yeah, Rachel?"

"Kurt wants you to call him when you aren't so... tangled up."

"Okay."

"Okay, Rach, I'm going to hang up now," Santana said slowly pulling the phone away from her ear.

"Bye! Have lots and lots of naked fun!"

"Okay I'm definitely hanging up now! Bye, Rach!" she pressed end call and tossed her phone on the side table. "She is insufferable."

"She's a good friend. She's always been a good friend," Quinn said as she snuggled in closer to Santana's side.

Santana wrapped her arm around Quinn's shoulder even tighter. Her hair still smelled like pomegranate. "I love you."

"I love you."

"You didn't have any plans for today, right?"

"Just lying in bed all day with... my... girlfriend," Quinn finished saying with a nervous grin.

"Oh, so then do you have to go? You probably shouldn't tell her about what we did last night... four times."

Quinn giggled into Santana's chest and began peppering it with kisses.

"Or were you being presumptuous and talking about me?"

"What if I said please?" Quinn asked with a pout.

"You don't think we're rushing things?"

"Last night you told me you wanted to be with me."

"I do! I just want to make sure you're ready."

Propping herself up on her elbow, Quinn gave Santana a tiny scowl, "Just letting you know, you aren't the only girl I've ever fallen for, you'll just be my first girlfriend. Besides, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't ready."

"If I wasn't the jealous type, I'd ask you to tell. Maybe some other day. Right now, I'm just going to thank you for completing my New Year's resolution. So, thanks," Santana said with a kiss to Quinn's lips.

"Umm... okay. What was it?"

"Acquire an intelligent, funny, stunningly beautiful girlfriend with hazel eyes and blonde hair whose name is Quinn Fabray."

"And when did you make that resolution?"

"About ten hours ago."

"You are too much, Santana Lopez," Quinn said with a kiss to her girlfriend's chest.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence and cuddling, Santana broke into it with, "So, are you going to tell me what your tattoo says?"

"There is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer, let it be." Santana ran her fingers over the tattoo once again as Quinn continued, "I got it two years ago. It distracts from the stretch marks."

"That don't exist," Santana whispered as she moved her fingers over Quinn's stomach.

"I feel like I can see them sometimes," Quinn said letting a single tear fall from her eye.

"Hey, Q," Santana began as she kissed away the tear, "I think you're perfect. Everything about you. I wouldn't be your girlfriend if you didn't bring your baggage along."

"What, you don't want a robot girlfriend?"

"Uh uh! I saw that episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, things didn't end well!"

Quinn laughed into Santana's chest and when she looked up, said, "I love you with all that luggage you're toting around, too."

With a sigh, Santana simply whispered, "Perfect."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay first thing is first. I am soooo sorry that this wasn't up yesterday! I went to New York to visit my school and I didn't bring my computer. I figured I'd be able to use my sister's (yes, my sister goes to the same college that I went to). Clearly, I wasn't able to use my sister's computer. Then I was going to update last night but a drive that should have taken four and half hours took six and I was too tired to make the appropriate edits that I ritually make every single time I update. Anyways, here it is: late. And after the cliffhanger... I swear that I didn't do it on purpose.**

**A/N 2: Notice anything different about this chapter? Anything? Anything at all?**

**A/N 3: I really hope that this was satisfying... you should... ummm... let me know what you thought...? Clearly this chapter right here is the ONE that I'm most nervous about. So give the attention whore some love? Or hate, but clearly, I prefer love.**


	28. Ours

July 2015, New York City  
>Santana's Living Room<p>

"MY FAIR LADY!"

"I said it first!"

"No way, Rach! Just because you think you're the master of all things musicals does not mean that you get this one!"

Santana and Quinn looked over to each other from opposite ends of the couch and laughed at the expense of their friends. Santana had the remote in her hand and when the yelling died down a little, she said to the bickering divas, "Tie breaker!"

"You're so going down, Berry!"

"In your dreams, Hummel!"

Santana rolled her eyes as she sought out the 'Tie Breaker' option on the menu, "You know, I don't think this is what twenty-one-year-olds do on Saturday nights..."

"Shut up, it's starting!" Kurt said waving his hand back towards Santana.

Quinn reached across the couch and grabbed Santana's arm before her 'oh no he didn't' face even popped up. Instead, Santana turned her head and pursed her lips at her girlfriend, only slightly hating how well she knew her.

"Taking turns, name as many movies as you can with the word 'Last' in the title. The first person to guess an incorrect movie title or is stumped, loses," the Movie Man voice bellowed from the television.

"The Last Emperor!"

"The Last Samurai!"

"The Last of the Mohicans!"

"The Last King of Scotland!"

"This might take forever," Santana said as she got up from the couch, "I need a drink."

"The Last Boy Scout!"

"I'm coming, too!" Quinn shouted as Santana entered the kitchen.

"Save the Last Dance!"

Quinn opened the fridge the second she got to it. She grabbed two cans of Diet Coke, placed them on the counter and cracked them open.

"Want a glass?" Santana said turning around from the cabinet with two glasses in her hands. She laughed when she saw Quinn chugging the soda.

After her last big gulp, Quinn looked up at Santana and said, "What, I was thirsty!"

"You are so adorable," Santana said as she walked across the kitchen over to the island that Quinn was already sitting at.

After taking another gigantic swig from the can, Quinn shrugged her shoulders and said, "I try."

Santana placed the two glasses on the counter and gave Quinn a quick kiss before turning around to grab some ice from the fridge, "I take it you don't want some alcohol in that?"

"You know, once you turn twenty-one the allure of drinking just isn't there anymore," Quinn said turning around on her stool.

"I know, right! It's cool for like a day or two and then you're like 'That's all I was missing?' We definitely ruined it for ourselves in high school," Santana said as she dropped a few ice cubes into the glasses and poured her can out into one of them.

"Although, you have to admit, it is nice to order wine when we go out for dinner," Quinn said as she wrapped her arms around Santana's waist and pulled her in between her legs.

"Yeah, then when I bring you home, you're all tipsy and easy," Santana said through a smirk.

"Not funny!" Quinn scoffed and smacked Santana's hip. She rolled her eyes a little and continued, "True, but not funny!"

"I love you," Santana said with a kiss to Quinn's forehead.

"I love you, too."

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!"

"The Last Airbender!"

"Are you shitting me? They're still going?" Santana cried out.

"There cannot be that many movies with the word 'last' in the title!" Quinn exclaimed shaking her head.

"Hey guys," Kurt's voice came from the doorway to the living room, "We're going to head out."

"Oh my god! We thought you were never going to run out of movie titles!" Santana snarked.

"Well, Rachel repeated _The Last Airbender_ so I won and now she's pissed," Kurt said rolling his eyes.

"Oooo, are you sure you want to ride all the way to Hell's Kitchen with that? I mean, I know it's not that far from here, but still?" Quinn joked.

"She swears up and down she isn't mad at me-"

"I'm not! I will be if you keep talking about it though!" Rachel's voice rang in from the other doorway to the kitchen.

"Ryan's getting some angry sex tonight isn't he?" Santana asked leaning in over the island.

"Probably!" Rachel huffed and crossed her arms, "Ready?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kurt sassed as he walked across the kitchen to the two girls they were leaving behind, "Tonight was wonderful, ladies. Definitely the perfect way for a few twenty-one-year-olds to spend their Saturday night." He hugged them both and walked over to the other doorway.

Rachel made her way over to the girls as well and gave them both hugs, "Tonight was fun, even if I did lose _Scene It_ to Kurt."

"I'll walk you guys out," Santana said as she laughed at Rachel's comment.

Kurt, Rachel and Santana all exited the kitchen and within seconds, the door was opened, closed and Santana was back in the kitchen with Quinn.

"You know, I'm glad Rachel's found an actual nice guy, she deserves someone that's good to her," Quinn said as Santana searched the cabinets for something salty.

"Having a little flashback to high school, are we?" Santana asked, pulling a bag of potato chips from the cabinet next to the fridge.

"Well, we both know that Finn was a douche bag. I don't know, I just always thought she deserved much more than him and she's getting it. I'm just happy for her," Quinn admitted to her girlfriend.

Settling down on a stool across the island from Quinn, Santana responded, "It's funny that in high school, we loved making her life miserable and now we're happy that she's getting what she wants out of life."

"I think it's because we're growing up," Quinn said as she reached across the island and snatched the bag of chips. "You know, in high school, I kind of had a crush on her," Quinn confessed with a mouth full of potato.

Santana's entire face opened up with surprise, "No way! Wait! Nothing I have to worry about now, right?" she added half joking, half serious.

"No, definitely not," Quinn replied trying her hardest to show Santana how much she loved her with her eyes.

"Well, she's pretty good in bed," Santana said and then watched as Quinn's face went from full of love to full of shock, "at least I think she is, I only remember bits and pieces." Quinn's face remained frozen in its astonished look. "She's the friend with benefits I told you about. Sweetie, it was one time and when we woke up in the morning we were totally freaked out. Actually, we promised each other we wouldn't even tell anyone about it."

"You just told _me_!" Quinn scoffed, forcefully sliding the bag of potato chips back at Santana.

"Q, are you really mad?" Santana asked, worried that she shouldn't have told her girlfriend about her and her best friend drunkenly hooking up. Once.

With a laugh, Quinn answered, "No! I'm not mad at something you did way before we were together. That's stupid! Are you mad that I had an affair with one of my professors?"

"No way! That's so hot! And bad ass!" Santana exclaimed, leaning over the island a little bit.

Quinn laughed and said, "I'm glad you feel that way. We've talked about this, babe, the past is the past."

"I know."

"Although," Quinn began slowly, "I think if I ever met that Mackenzie bitch, I'd kick her ass."

"Actually, Rach gave her a verbal beat down the day after I broke up her..."

"Of course she did! Great! Now I'm terrified," Quinn half joked and half said out of complete seriousness.

"You don't have to be," Santana said quietly and immediately turned her attention to the bag of potato chips. She closed up the bag and got up to put it back in the cabinet it came from.

Quinn wasn't exactly sure what to make of Santana's sudden shyness. She couldn't help but think how adorable she was when she got like this, though. Usually when she acted this way, it was because she wanted to ask Quinn something but was nervous to do so. She always managed to work up the courage to ask though, like a month ago when she asked how Quinn how she felt about getting a strap-on. Part of the apparatus is currently drying in the strainer (hiding under a couple of bowls of course). What she wanted to ask right now, Quinn hadn't the slightest clue.

"I assume you're sleeping here tonight," Santana said as she sauntered her way back over to Quinn.

"Where else would I sleep?" Quinn asked with her 'duh' face.

"Well, if I remember correctly you do have your own apartment," Santana said as she let her arms rest on Quinn's shoulders.

"But it's all the way up in Morningside," Quinn said with a pout, "What? You don't want me here?"

"Of course I want you here. Actually," Santana took a deep breath in preparation for the bold move she was about to make, "I was wondering if you... umm... if you would live here... with me. Like actually live here. I already asked Tía if it would be okay. I don't know why I thought she wouldn't say it was, she loves you. So does Vicky. And I mean, a lot of your stuff is already here and your lease is up next mon-"

Santana's nervous rant was completely halted by Quinn's lips. It amazed Santana that even after six months, she still felt butterflies when Quinn kissed her.

"So, is that a yes?" Santana breathed out.

"Mhm," Quinn hummed and then kissed Santana again, "I'm not really sure what to tell my father, but yes."

"Hmmm... why don't you tell Papa Fabray that you're moving into your friend Santana's two bedroom apartment because she really needs a roommate. Don't tell him that it's free, though..." Santana smirked at the last part.

Quinn's jaw dropped at the idea. It was conniving, but she didn't even care. With $1500 dollars just filtering into her checking account every month, she'd be able to quit her job and have more free time for an internship... and Santana, "I love this appearance of devious Santana."

"You're going to love her even more when she gets you into your bedroom," Santana said with a quirk of her eye brows and her most devious smirk.

"Our bedroom," Quinn corrected.

Through her smile that told Quinn exactly how happy she was, Santana agreed, "Our bedroom."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so this is it. Hopefully you don't think that this ending is like a cop out or anything, like the epilogue in Harry Potter 7. Really the whole point of the story was the journey. I wrote in the summary that they "need to get over their own pasts to get to to each other," well, it took them four months and this entire story to do so. I know that some of you were getting frustrated that they weren't together sooner, but that was the point. I actually got really excited when I read comments that were like "Ugh! I just want them to like make-out already!" I felt like I'd accomplished what I wanted to. Not to brag or anything... haha!**

**A/N 2: As of right now, I don't have plans for a sequel. Although, somehow I think that some ideas have found their way into my head, whether or not they can form an entire story is questionable though. What I will say (and I know I'm opening up a can of worms with this... a good can of worms though) is that I'm accepting prompts. So go a head flood my PM box and Tumblr Ask with your ideas. You never know, I might get enough to form a sequel.**

**A/N 3: Last but not least: I want to thank ALL of you! Seriously, the response I've gotten for this story has been overwhelming. When I was writing this I actually thought I was writing this crazy story that no one would ever like or get. But you guys have been unbelievable! You stuck around and I really just hope that you're all happy that you did. I have appreciated every single comment that has been made. I promise I've read every single one of them, some of them more than once. Honestly, I really don't even have words for how freaking awesome and fantastic you guys are (those two words aren't enough). And now for the last time leave a comment for the Attention Whore?**


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